At least 78 migrants have drowned, and over 100 have been rescued after their fishing vessel capsized off the southern coast of Greece. This shipwreck marks the deadliest incident in Greece this year.
The exact number of people on board the boat remains unclear, but Greek officials and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) suggest that hundreds could have been aboard.
The Greek coastguard spotted the boat in international waters late on Tuesday using an aircraft belonging to the EU border agency Frontex. However, the passengers reportedly refused assistance and were not wearing life jackets.
Shortly after, the boat capsized and sank, leading to a search and rescue operation complicated by strong winds. The vessel was reportedly heading from Libya to Italy, and most of the passengers were reported to be men in their 20s.
According to a migration ministry source, there were potentially “hundreds” of people on board, raising concerns about a significant number of missing individuals. The IOM expressed fears that more lives were lost, suggesting that up to 400 people could have been on the boat.
The nationalities of the victims have not yet been disclosed. Survivors have been transported to the town of Kalamata for medical treatment.
Greece serves as a major entry point into the European Union for refugees and migrants from regions like the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
In recent months, the Greek government faced international criticism after video footage surfaced, allegedly showing the forceful expulsion of migrants who were left adrift at sea.
According to UN data, over 70,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in frontline European countries this year, with the majority landing in Italy.
