Refugees vs Billionaires: The World's Treatment of Crises
thedailyblog.co.nz
On June 14th, 2020, a vessel, the Andriana, carrying hundreds of refugees and migrants sank off the Greek Coast, resulting in the deaths of at least eighty individuals. The ship, which departed from Libya, is estimated by survivors to have carried as many as 750 individuals, including at least forty children. With eighty confirmed deaths and at least five hundred missing in the deep waters, this is the deadliest shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea.
Four days later, on June 18th, OceanGate’s submersible, Titan, lost contact with one hour and forty-five minutes into its dive, a tourist expedition to observe the Titanic’s wreckage off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. All five individuals – four passengers and one pilot – are presumed dead as of June 23rd.
These are two undeniably profound strategies, yet the stark disparities in the treatment they receive from the media, the public, and authorities are nothing short of staggering. In a quote from the Guardian, “While hundreds are still missing and feared dead, [the Andriana] has garnered far less attention and resources than the Titan rescue efforts for five people.”
The Canadian and American Coast Guards worked in tandem, sparing no resources to recover Titan, including maritime surveillance planes, diving robots and underwater drones, specialized research vessels, and a ship designed to lay pipes on the ocean floor. This also included onshore experts and investigators, such as those who studied the underwater banging noises believed to be missing submersible survivors. It was a widely broadcasted event – with news channels hosting live coverage events, press conferences, and even a live documentary on Channel 5, Titanic Sub: Lost at Sea.
On the other hand, only 104 people were rescued at the sight of Andriana’s sinking: all men. There have been no traces of any other passengers, including one hundred women and children who are believed to have been in the hold. The Greek government, which took control of the situation, is under scrutiny for their handling of the crisis and its treatment of the survivors. Allegedly, authorities tethered the vessel just fifteen minutes before its capsizing. On the other hand, the Coast Guard states that the migrant passengers refused their help to continue to Italy. It is reported that Greek authorities “never activated a rescue operation, despite the conditions in which the ship was sailing, not even when the ship’s engine broke down at 1:40 am. Between 2:04 am and 2:19 am, the old metal fishing trawler jolted violently and then disappeared right before the eyes of the Greek coastguard.”
Brirml Jihed, an investigator, interviewed a survivor, who reiterated a growing consensus amongst other survivors that the Greek Coast Guard is at fault, stating, “[The Coast Guard was] dressed in black and they were masked. They tied up our boat with a blue rope. Then they left quickly. While we were on the ship, we felt that something was not right. [...] We were in front of them, and they were pushing us from the right and left. Our ship capsized. I spoke to other survivors, and we are 100% convinced that the Coast Guard sank us, but we don’t know whether it was intentional or a mistake.” Furthermore, survivors were brought to the port of Kalamata, where they were confined in a fenced compound, screened in from journalists and with limited access to their families. The Coast Guard agents and OPKE, a specialised police unit, were seen guarding the perimeter to keep the press away. Greek authorities have not publicised a list of survivors or casualties – as hundreds of families do not know if their loved ones are dead.
The disparities between the two situations are stark. Whilst the survivors processed the trauma and families mourned, the world set its eyes on the Titan. Admittedly a captivating story, the missing men chose to embark on the adventure, paying $250,000 each for a thrill-seeking journey. On the other hand, the passengers of the Andriana were driven onboard in an act of desperation, turning to human traffickers to escape poverty and the climate crisis to seek hope in Europe. Anees Majeed who lost five relatives on the Andriana, stated “We were shocked to know that millions would be spent on [the Titan] rescue mission. They used all resources, and so much news came out from this search. But did not bother to search for the hundreds of… people who were on the Greek boat.”
This discrepancy is not the fault of the five men on the submersible, and all individuals affected by both tragedies deserved rescue and support. However, it highlights a very deep class disparity. Arsalan Khan, a professor at Union College, New York said the intense coverage of the Titan gave the missing men a humanity that the missing asylum seekers in the Mediterranean were not. “The response to the Titanic sub has been much more empathetic and full of grief.”
Avoiding another calamity like the implosion of Titan lies in advancement in safety procedures and technological protocols. However, it is imperative to recognize that the safety of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers is a much larger issue. Thousands of individuals make the perilous journey to Europe aboard unseaworthy vessels, which necessitates more profound transformations within not only maritime journeys but in an economic system and global order that drives individuals to undertake such treacherous voyages. For refugees, safety procedures operate as temporary remedies – the reality is economic disparities, political instability, and societal unrest that function as driving forces, pushing people to gamble with their lives despite being acutely aware of the inherent dangers.
by Carolina Beirne