At Least Five Dead, Dozens Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Greek Island
Search and rescue operation continues as Greece grapples with rising migrant arrivals and deadly sea crossings
- Migrant boats likely departed from Libya, as authorities investigate the origin of the vessels
- Five confirmed deaths and 40 migrants missing after boat sinks southwest of Crete
- 39 survivors rescued in a large-scale search operation involving ships and aircraft
Five migrants have been confirmed dead and 40 others are missing after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Crete early Saturday, according to Greece’s coastguard.
The vessel went down 12 nautical miles southwest of the island, with 39 survivors rescued.
A large-scale search and rescue operation involving ships and aircraft is underway south of the island of Gavdos, following the capsizing of the boat shortly after midnight.
The first body was recovered Saturday morning, and local media reported that another migrant was airlifted to a hospital in Chania, where he was admitted to intensive care.
By Saturday afternoon, the coastguard confirmed that the death toll had risen to five.
Greece has seen a 25% increase in migrant arrivals this year, with the southeast Aegean and Rhodes experiencing a 30% rise, according to the migration ministry.
Several similar incidents have occurred recently, including the tragic deaths of eight migrants—six of them minors—north of the island of Samos in late November, highlighting the ongoing dangers migrants face on perilous routes.
