Metro53 - ATHENS (Web Desk) — A dream to reach Greece from Libya by sea turned into a nightmare for 40 Bangladeshi migrants. Severe cold, hunger, and lack of water forced some passengers to drink petrol, mistaking it for water.
On November 26, the ill-fated group set out in a small plastic boat from Libya. In the open sea, the boat developed leaks, allowing water to enter. For two days, the passengers had no food or drinking water. Extreme hunger and thirst caused them to lose consciousness. During this ordeal, some passengers drank petrol stored in bottles, thinking it was water. After consuming petrol, several people collapsed, cries for help echoed, and the sea scene turned terrifying.
Two Bangladeshi youths lost their lives, four remain in critical condition, and one has suffered kidney failure and is undergoing dialysis.
The Greek Coast Guard rescued the boat and transferred all passengers to the hospital. Upon receiving the news, Rabia Begum, First Secretary of the Bangladeshi Embassy, visited the hospital and met the injured. Doctors reported that petrol ingestion severely affected the victims’ stomachs, lungs, and kidneys, while physical weakness, dehydration, and extreme cold worsened their condition.
The Bangladeshi Embassy confirmed that legal procedures for repatriating the deceased are underway.
