Greece’s Coast Guard said on Saturday (Dec 6) that at least 17 people attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea were found dead after their inflatable boat capsized south of the island of Crete. The Greek authorities also said that two survivors were found in critical condition and have been hospitalised. According to AFP, the survivors told rescue workers that they had lost control of the vessel during a severe storm, leaving those on board stranded in the open sea without access to water, food, or proper shelter. According to local reports, the coastguard said that the migrants had been dead for over a day by the time the boat was located. This is being reported as Greece’s deadliest smuggling boat wreck in more than two years.
Initially 18 people were reported to be dead, but Greece’s Coast Guard corrected the figure and said that 17 were dead and two were taken to the hospital. According to NY Times, the toll is the highest since the sinking of a fishing trawler off southern Greece in June 2023 in which hundreds died. Greek authorities were alerted by Turkish ship about the shipwreck. An extensive search was launched involving two Coast Guard vessels, a rescue helicopter, a vessel and an aircraft from the European Union border agency, Frontex, along with three nearby ships. The reason for the shipwreck remains unknown. It is also unclear where the migrants are from.