After a severe storm, the coast guard discovered a boat with 18 dead off the coast of Crete. Only two migrants survived. The vessel was the sixth of seven that arrived in Crete, local media reports.
The Greek coast guard discovered an inflatable boat unable to maneuver off the coast of the island of Crete with 18 dead migrants inside. Two people managed to survive, and the boat itself was deflated and half-filled with water, reported the Greek state broadcaster ERTnews late on Saturday, December 6. This tragedy has become the deadliest incident in the region to date.
"Preliminary estimates suggest that the cause of death was hypothermia and possibly starvation, as they remained defenseless at sea in bad weather," the report stated. The survivors, who are currently undergoing rehabilitation for severe hypothermia, confirmed to local authorities that there was no food or means of protection for passengers after the vessel got out of control.
How long they remained in such a condition is not specified. It is also currently unknown where the migrants originated from. According to ERTnews, this inflatable boat was the sixth of seven that were heading towards Crete in bad weather.
17,000 Migrants Landed on the Greek Island in 2025
In recent days, a strong autumn storm with wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h has been raging in the Mediterranean Sea around Crete. Smuggling gangs continuously transport migrants along the dangerous route from Tobruk in Libya to Crete, the dpa agency reminds. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 17,000 illegal migrants arrived in Crete by early December 2025.
Greece was one of the main arrival points for refugees into the European Union in 2015 and 2016, the Reuters agency recalls. Since then, their numbers have decreased, but since 2024, the number of boats with migrants has sharply increased again. According to the agency, this primarily concerns the route from Libya to the islands of Crete, Gavdos, and Chrissi, which are closest to the African coast. Accidents with a high number of casualties still frequently occur on these sea crossings.
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