On Wednesday 1st of January 2025, according to FIA sources briefed, the number of Pakistani nationals killed in the recent boat disaster in Greece has increased to (9) after police discovered (4) additional bodies.

A wooden boat containing migrants sank off the southern Greek island of Gavdos on the 14th of December of last year, according to international media.

The most recent deaths, (Shabbir, Zain Ali, and Zeeshan from Narowal), as well as (Owais Ali from Sialkot), were discovered close to the scene of the event, the FIA reported.

The remains have been sent to a hospital in Athens to be examined from Giavados Island in Greece. The Pakistani Embassy is making plans to return the remains to Pakistan, the FIA revealed.

Once their bodies can be sent to their relatives in Pakistan, the procedure should take around a week. In addition to supporting the victims’ relatives, authorities are still looking into what caused the catastrophe.

Two people, reportedly a human smuggler in Gujranwala, were taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the 22nd of December in relation to the boat disaster in Greece.

The detained suspects, (Saeed Ahmed and Muhammad Aslam), were involved in the people smuggling operation, according to FIA officials.

The FIA claims that Mohammad Aslam is a part of a global people smuggling network and was closely engaged in the Greece boat tragedy. He took advantage of the victims by offering to bring them to Europe in exchange for millions of rupees.