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On Wednesday, in the southern coast of Greece, at least 32 people have died and more than 100 were rescued after a fishing boat carrying migrants and refugees capsized and sank off.
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According to an official statement from the coast guard authorities, the accident occurred in international waters in the Ionian Sea and prompted an extensive rescue operation complicated by strong winds.
Rescue actions included 6 coastguard vessels, a navy frigate, a military transport and an air force helicopter, as well as several private vessels.
Greek authorities and the European Union border protection agency Frontex were first alerted about the approaching vessel by the Italian coastguard on Tuesday.
According to several reports, the boat is believed to have sailed from the Tobruk area in eastern Libya, with around 400 people were on board. Moreover, official reports state that 4 of the survivors were hospitalized with symptoms of hypothermia.
��Terrible news from #Greece: A boat capsized off Pylos according to the coast guard.
Initial reports suggest up to 400 migrants were onboard.
So far 104 people were rescued and 32 bodies recovered.
While search efforts continue, we fear the death toll will continue to rise. pic.twitter.com/LU9IuB1LGU
— Safa Msehli (@msehlisafa)
June 14, 2023
According to official data and several reports, Greece along with Italy and Spain have long been the main landing points for the tens of thousands of people seeking to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East.
Furthermore, latest reports show that Greece is also facing an increase of crossing attempts from Turkey on southern routes near the Cyclades islands and toward the Peloponnese peninsula, hoping to avoid patrols in the northern Aegean Sea.
Greece and other EU member states on the south and southeastern rim of the bloc have stated that they are being “unfairly tasked” with managing arrivals of undocumented migrants.
