ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Sunday said that 47 Pakistanis were among those rescued in a boat tragedy that capsized and sank in open seas off Greece on Saturday.
Foreign Office spokesperson said that so far 47 Pakistanis have been rescued by cargo vessels sailing in the area.
According to preliminary information, one Pakistani national has been killed in the incident adding that the number of those missing off the wooden boat which capsized on Friday, had not yet been confirmed.
The foreign office added that the rescued have been transferred to the island of Crete.
Foreign Office further noted that embassy staff have already reached the site to meet with the rescued Pakistanis and offer them necessary support.
Earlier media reported that the Pakistani embassy in Italy confirmed the death of 28 Pakistanis in the boat tragedy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry and vowed stern punishment for human traffickers.
“Such persons [human traffickers] should be identified and they should be handed strict punishments so that they do not repeat such heinous crimes,” Sharif said in a statement shared by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“Concrete steps should be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future,” he added.
