Twelve migrants, including an infant, have died after two boats capsized off the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos as the coast guard pursued them, authorities said on Monday, October 19.
The incidents occurred in the northeastern Aegean Sea, a key migration route used by people travelling from Turkey towards Europe.
According to the Greek coast guard, six people five men and one woman died when a speedboat carrying migrants overturned about four nautical miles north of Samos.
The boat, which was carrying migrants from Turkey, reportedly made a sudden manoeuvre before capsizing.
Fourteen men survived the incident, while a search-and-rescue operation was launched to locate anyone still missing.
Authorities arrested one of the survivors, an Iranian national, on suspicion of migrant smuggling.
In a separate incident off the island of Lesbos, six people, including four men, a woman and an infant, died after their boat collided with a Greek coast guard vessel and overturned near Agrilia.
Eight survivors were taken to hospital for treatment.
Authorities also arrested a 37-year-old Turkish national who survived the incident. He was identified as the suspected smuggler and operator of the boat.
Greek authorities have yet to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision.
Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias said preliminary evidence indicated that the speedboat’s bow struck the left side of the coast guard vessel.
He added that investigations were ongoing to determine exactly how the incident occurred.
Following the deaths, the Greek government vowed to maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards migrant smuggling, blaming smugglers for putting vulnerable people at risk.
“Our position is non-negotiable: zero tolerance for smugglers,” Kikilias said in a post on X.
Greece has long served as a major entry point into Europe for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
During Europe’s 2015–2016 migration crisis, nearly one million people arrived on Greek islands, many crossing from Turkey.
The country has since tightened its migration policies and border controls.
However, human rights organisations have accused Greek authorities of forcibly returning migrants and asylum seekers at sea and along land borders, allegations the Greek government denies.
Athens maintains that its coast guard operates with full respect for human life and human rights.
The latest incidents highlight the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea, particularly when travelling in overcrowded boats operated by suspected smugglers.
Source: Reuters.
