Tragedy in Greek Waters: Five Dead as Migrant Boat Capsizes with Pakistanis Onboard
Deadly Migrant Boat Capsize Near Gavdos Island Highlights Growing Dangers in the Mediterranean
ATHENS: At least five migrants have drowned after their wooden boat capsized while attempting to reach Crete from Libya, Greek coastguard officials confirmed on Saturday. The incident occurred off the southern Greek island of Gavdos, a small and isolated landmass in the central Mediterranean, which has become a frequent site of migrant shipwrecks in recent months.
According to the Greek coastguard, 39 men—most of them from Pakistan—were rescued by nearby cargo vessels after the boat overturned. They were later transferred to the island of Crete, where authorities continue to search for missing individuals. As of late Saturday, the exact number of those still unaccounted for remains unclear, and officials fear the death toll may rise as search operations continue into the night. “As the hours pass, hopes fade,” one coastguard official said.
The rescue operation, which began on Friday night after Greek authorities were alerted to the incident, has involved coastguard boats, merchant ships, an Italian naval frigate, and aerial reconnaissance. Despite the ongoing efforts, officials reported that time is running out as darkness falls over the search area.
In separate incidents on Saturday, a Malta-flagged cargo vessel rescued 47 migrants about 40 nautical miles off Gavdos, while a tanker saved another 88 people from a boat approximately 28 nautical miles away. Initial reports suggest the vessels involved in both incidents may have left Libya together, indicating the involvement of multiple smuggling operations in the region.
Greece has long been a key entry point for migrants attempting to reach the European Union, especially during the migration crisis of 2015-2016, when nearly a million people arrived on its islands. Over the years, migrant boat accidents off Greece’s southern islands have been tragically common, with many vessels attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
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The waters around Crete and Gavdos have become increasingly hazardous for migrants seeking to reach Europe. In 2023, hundreds of lives were lost when an overcrowded migrant boat capsized off the coast of Pylos, Greece, marking one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Mediterranean in recent years.
As Greece continues to face pressure from the ongoing migration crisis, incidents like the one near Gavdos highlight the dangers migrants face in attempting to cross the Mediterranean in search of safety and a better life. The search and rescue operations are expected to continue, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
