Dear Friends & Family,
Yesterday, I was on a video call to one of the survivors, Waseem* in Chios hospital.
Chios — a small Greek island and one of our long-standing bases for humanitarian work — is once again the site of loss, injury, and unanswered questions at Europe’s borders.
The room was filled with injured people — bodies wrapped in bandages, quiet sobs, swollen faces. On the screen was a father from Afghanistan – Waseem. His injured daughter sat beside him. His younger child was close, silent and shaken.
His face was streaked with tears as he spoke.
His 15-year-old son was killed in the boat accident in the Aegean Sea.
His pregnant wife lost their baby as a direct result of the collision.
She had been taken to the intensive care unit, and while a nurse said she was alive, he didn’t know if she was okay.
He said:
“We are refugees from Afghanistan. We have been through a tragedy. Instead of a safe passage and the right to asylum, this is what happened. We need protection. We need support.”
This is one of the many families whose lives have been torn apart by war, conflict, and the absence of safe passage and protection.
We are supporting those who lost their lives, their families and friends, and the survivors — and we are asking for your support to continue this work.
With Sadness, Ruhi
*Name changed for protection
Twenty-four others — including twelve children — remain hospitalised.
Two pregnant women have lost their babies due to the injuries and trauma caused by the accident.
Some people are still missing.
What makes this even more disturbing is that the circumstances surrounding the collision remain unclear. According to reports, an unnamed Coast Guard official claimed the boat “manoeuvred toward” the Coast Guard vessel after being instructed to turn back.
This raises urgent and serious questions:
- Was a pushback being attempted?
- Were international and maritime laws followed?
- Why, once again, is there no transparency when lives are lost at Europe’s borders?
This cannot be treated as routine.
When people die during encounters with state authorities, independent investigations are a legal and moral obligation — not a choice.
WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW
Currently and in the upcoming days RBB will be:
- Supporting survivors with food, essentials, and care
- Providing funeral support for the 15 people who lost their lives, ensuring dignity and respect
- Standing with families in mourning — practically and emotionally
- Carrying out an upcoming distribution of food, winter items, and hygiene supplies, especially urgent after electricity cuts in camp settings during the cold
- Preparing for Ramadan, as families face grief alongside hardship
We have already supported over 30 funerals in Greece in previous border incidents.
We have helped repatriate loved ones to their families in Gaza and Somalia.
And now, once again, we are facing another 15 lives lost.
