At least five migrants have drowned after their wooden boat capsized near Greece's southern island of Gavdos, the coastguard reported on Saturday. Rescue operations are ongoing, with many migrants still missing.
So far, 39 men, mostly from Pakistan, have been rescued by cargo ships in the area and transferred to Crete. However, according to the coastguard, the exact number of missing migrants remains unknown.
The search effort involves coastguard boats, merchant vessels, an Italian frigate, and naval aircraft, after authorities were alerted to the incident on Friday night.
In separate incidents on Saturday, a Malta-flagged cargo ship rescued 47 migrants from a boat 40 nautical miles off Gavdos. Meanwhile, another tanker saved 88 migrants 28 nautical miles away from the island. Initial reports suggest that the boats departed together from Libya.
Greece has long been a gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. While migrant crossings peaked in 2015-2016, incidents near Crete and Gavdos have increased in recent years.
In 2023, one of the deadliest Mediterranean shipwrecks occurred when an overcrowded vessel sank off Pylos, claiming hundreds of lives.
The Gavdos tragedy highlights the ongoing risks migrants face as they undertake perilous sea journeys in search of a better future. Rescue efforts and investigations into these incidents continue, underscoring the need for action to prevent further loss of life.
