the victims had entered Greece illegally

[Maybo]

Fire service spokesman Yiannis Artopios said the possibility was being investigated that the victims had entered Greece illegally, given that there had been no reports of missing residents.
(Greece wildfires: Eighteen bodies found in Greek forest by BBC)

Is the above sentence backshifted in reported speech? If so, I'd like to know "non-backshifted version"
Is it like this? :

Fire service spokesman Yiannis Artopios said "the possibility is being investigated that the victims entered Greece illegally, given that there has been no reports of missing residents."

 

[Tarheel]

I advise you to study that sentence because it is a good example of the use of the past perfect. I wouldn't change it. It's written the way it should be written.

 

[Maybo]

I advise you to study that sentence because it is a good example of the use of the past perfect. I wouldn't change it. It's written the way it should be written.

I already studied that but I couldn’t figure out the answer so I asked.

 

[Tarheel]

I've been trying to say that the sentence is good as written, and you can't improve it.

 

[Maybo]

I've been trying to say that the sentence is good as written, and you can't improve it.

I’m not trying to improve it.

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo
Sorry. I looked at the OP again. Your version is OK.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, the direct speech version (the one that uses quotation marks) with "entered" would naturally be expressed with "had entered" in the indirect speech version (also called reported speech).