Government officials in Athens have dismissed criticism of the coast guard as unjust, maintaining that blame rests squarely on smugglers who overload migrants onto unseaworthy vessels.

Source: https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/14/greece-accused-fatal-migrant-boat-sinking/

On an overnight expedition with the National Guard last week, The Associated Press witnessed migrants pleading to continue their journeys to Italy in unseaworthy vessels, some taking on water.

Source: https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/04/27/tunisia-coast-guard-rounds-up-mediterranean-migrant-boats-returns-them-to-africa/

So far this year, 145,000 people have arrived by sea in Italy on smugglers' unseaworthy boats, compared to 88,000 in the same period last year.

Source: https://www.euronews.com/2023/11/07/albania-to-host-migrants-arriving-to-italy-pending-processing-of-asylum-applications