Seventeen young men from Beheira governorate drowned before the shores of Greece on Friday. They had been on board a boat carrying irregular migrants to Greece, according to a press release by the embassy.

The embassy said that only the  parents of a victim should go to the Egyptian Forensic Authority (EMA) on Thursday to undergo DNA tests.

The results of the tests will be sent to the Egyptian embassy in Athens which will notify Greek authorities to release the bodies so that they can be sent home. 

The embassy said it continues to be in contact with Greek authorities to ensure that the bodies are sent once they are identified.

The embassy offered its sincere condolences to victims of the families over the loss of their sons in this tragic accident.