An investigating judge and prosecutor in Chios unanimously ordered the pretrial detention late Saturday, February 7, of a young Moroccan man accused of piloting the boat that collided with a Greek Coast Guard vessel last Tuesday night, leaving 15 people dead and many others injured.

The defendant is expected to be transferred in the coming days to a detention facility, where he will remain until the case comes to trial.

Defense lawyers Alexis Georgoulis and Dimitris Choulis expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life but voiced strong disagreement with the judicial decision. Georgoulis stressed that his client has maintained his innocence from the outset, insisting he was merely a passenger and not the operator of the vessel.

According to Georgoulis, five witnesses failed to identify the accused during the preliminary investigation, while six additional depositions taken by the investigating judge also did not recognize him as the driver of the boat.

Choulis further claimed that witness testimonies described no warning signals, flashing lights, or instructions to stop prior to the incident, alleging instead that the Coast Guard vessel struck the migrant boat while it was traveling straight ahead without changing course.

He added that recent investigative proceedings did not substantiate the charges, noting that six witnesses testified on Saturday that they did not recognize the suspect, despite his subsequent detention. He also questioned why the sole witness who reportedly identified his client had already left the island.

The case remains under investigation as authorities prepare for forthcoming judicial proceedings.