In a devastating incident off the Peloponnese, Greece’s coastguard reported the tragic deaths of 17 migrants on Wednesday as their boat capsized and sank. Rescuers, despite adverse weather conditions, managed to save approximately 100 individuals in a challenging operation.
The accident occurred in international waters in the Ionian Sea, prompting an extensive rescue effort involving navy vessels, an army plane, a helicopter, and six other boats in the vicinity.
The coastguard initiated the rescue operation after a fishing boat carrying a significant number of migrants capsized early Wednesday near Pylos. Rescuers were transporting the survivors to Kalamata, and airlifting four individuals in critical condition to the local hospital.
Earlier surveillance by Europe’s Frontex agency had detected the boat on Tuesday afternoon, but the migrants reportedly declined assistance. Italian authorities believed that the migrants had embarked from Libya to reach Italy, but none of the passengers were wearing life jackets and their nationalities were not immediately disclosed.
In a separate incident, Greece’s port police rescued a sailboat carrying approximately 80 distressed migrants off Crete. Greece, along with Italy and Spain, has long served as a primary entry point for tens of thousands of individuals attempting to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East.