At least eight migrants have tragically drowned after their speedboat capsized while attempting to evade a Greek coastguard patrol in the Aegean Sea. According to the coastguard, the incident occurred when the driver allegedly lost control while fleeing from a patrol vessel.
Tragic Capsizing in Aegean Sea Claims Lives of Eight Migrants
Tragic Capsizing in Aegean Sea Claims Lives of Eight Migrants
An effort to evade the Greek coastguard ends in disaster as a speedboat capsizes, highlighting the ongoing migrant crisis.
Survivors from the incident report that the boat was traveling at high speeds before colliding with the side of the coastguard vessel. A total of 18 individuals were rescued from the sea, many of whom sustained injuries during the chaotic event. The incident unfolded near the island of Rhodes, a hotspot frequently used by migrant traffickers due to its proximity to the Turkish coast.
A helicopter and additional coastguard ships have been deployed to search for any possible survivors still in the water. The Mediterranean Sea has seen a significant number of migrant fatalities over the years, as thousands risk their lives in search of a better future in Europe.
This tragedy follows a similar event last month, where eight individuals, including six children, were recovered after another migrant boat sank near the Greek island of Samos. Despite a decline in migrant arrivals since August 2023, the numbers surged again this summer.
According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 50,000 migrants have arrived in Greece this year alone, marking it as the second most frequented European migrant route after Italy. Overall, reports indicate that around 180,000 migrants have reached Europe through maritime routes this year, with an alarming 2,000 people recorded as dead or missing during their perilous journeys. Notably, children represent approximately 23% of these arrivals, underscoring the human cost of this ongoing crisis.
A helicopter and additional coastguard ships have been deployed to search for any possible survivors still in the water. The Mediterranean Sea has seen a significant number of migrant fatalities over the years, as thousands risk their lives in search of a better future in Europe.
This tragedy follows a similar event last month, where eight individuals, including six children, were recovered after another migrant boat sank near the Greek island of Samos. Despite a decline in migrant arrivals since August 2023, the numbers surged again this summer.
According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 50,000 migrants have arrived in Greece this year alone, marking it as the second most frequented European migrant route after Italy. Overall, reports indicate that around 180,000 migrants have reached Europe through maritime routes this year, with an alarming 2,000 people recorded as dead or missing during their perilous journeys. Notably, children represent approximately 23% of these arrivals, underscoring the human cost of this ongoing crisis.
