A week after a fishing boat carrying hundreds of migrants sank in the Mediterranean, a new report shows how rapidly conditions on board deteriorated—and raises allegations that Greek authorities worsened the situation. Survivors of the capsizing vessel told CNN that a Hellenic Coast Guard ship’s attempt to tow it caused it to go under. “The Greek captain pulled us too fast, it was extremely fast, this caused our boat to sink,” one survivor told the outlet. The Hellenic Coast Guard has repeatedly denied ever trying to tow the overburdened boat. CNN also found that overcrowding and a serious lack of food and water had put the boat in dire straits well before the fatal accident, and it was on the verge of sinking several times.
