At least five migrants drowned after their wooden boat capsized near Greece’s southern island of Gavdos, the Greek coastguard said on Saturday. Many are feared missing and search operations are underway. According to eyewitnesses, the incident happened late Friday night.
So far, 39 men—mostly from Pakistan—have been rescued by cargo vessels in the vicinity. Survivors were transferred to Crete for safety, and the number of missing is not known. The coastguard, merchant ships, an Italian frigate, and naval aircraft continue their search operations in the area.
In separate incidents on Saturday, a Malta-flagged cargo ship rescued 47 migrants from a vessel located about 40 nautical miles off Gavdos. Meanwhile, a tanker saved 88 more migrants from another boat 28 nautical miles from the island.
Boats Likely Departed From Libya
Preliminary investigations indicate that the boats involved in the incidents probably departed from Libya. Gavdos and the surrounding waters have had a surge in incidents related to migrant vessels in the last year due to its isolation in the central Mediterranean.
Greece has been the main entry point into the European Union for immigrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. In 2015-2016, it received nearly 1 million migrants and refugees who reached its shores. Many came on overcrowded and dangerous vessels, risking their lives to reach EU countries.
This latest tragedy follows a series of deadly incidents in the region. Earlier in 2023, hundreds of migrants drowned when an overcrowded boat capsized off Pylos, marking one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Mediterranean.
Authorities are calling for more effective coordination and preventive measures to address the increasing number of such incidents, which raise serious questions about the critical situation faced by people who leave their home countries in search of safety and opportunity.
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