Greek authorities have rescued more than 90 migrants in two separate incidents at sea, while a woman tragically lost her life after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Kos. Coast guards found her unresponsive in the water and were able to rescue 15 other passengers. The boat, believed to have capsized due to rough weather, was traveling near the eastern Aegean island of Kos, which is close to the Turkish coast. Two survivors from the wreck were taken to the hospital for further treatment.
In another rescue operation, 78 migrants were saved from a wooden boat near Gavdos, a small island near Crete. The boat was located about 23 nautical miles off the coast, and no injuries or missing people were reported. Gavdos, with only a small permanent population and limited facilities, is not equipped to handle large migrant arrivals, so the rescued individuals will be taken to Crete for further assistance. Authorities are still investigating where the migrants were heading, as Gavdos is located about 200 kilometers from Libya’s port of Tobruk.
These rescues occurred after a merchant ship saved 70 migrants from another distressed vessel near Greece’s southern port of Kalamata on Thursday. While most migrant boats aim for Greece, recent routes have seen boats attempting to avoid coast guard patrols by sailing further west toward Italy. This shift in migration patterns has seen some boats departing from North Africa, hoping to reach Italy but ending up near Greek shores.
Greek authorities also reported two additional incidents near Leros earlier in the week. In one case, migrants arrived despite the coast guard’s efforts to stop their boat, and three suspected smugglers fled after abandoning their vessel. They were later captured and are facing charges for smuggling and illegal entry. On the nearby island of Agathonissio, another group of migrants was apprehended following a high-speed chase with the coast guard. The three men involved were charged with endangering lives and smuggling migrants into Greece.
Incidents like these continue to put pressure on Greek authorities, as they deal with the increasing flow of migrants attempting to reach European shores through perilous sea routes. With multiple rescue operations occurring daily, the Greek coast guard remains vigilant in their efforts to save lives and crack down on illegal smuggling operations.