Seven people, including two children, died, and 23 others were rescued on Thursday after an inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized off the Greek island of Lesbos, according to the coast guard.
Initially, four bodies were discovered in the Aegean Sea, but after further searches by patrol boats, three more were found, a coast guard spokeswoman told AFP.
The boat, carrying about 30 people, capsized in mild weather near the coast of Turkey.
“Their boat took on water and started to sink,” the spokeswoman said, adding that searches for more survivors were ongoing.
Among the victims were four women, a boy, and a girl, while the identities of the other three remain unknown.
Greece, located in southeastern Europe, is a major transit route for undocumented migrants from Asia and the Middle East trying to reach western Europe.
Deaths are common on these dangerous crossings. According to the UN, nearly 2,500 people were reported dead last year.
Last month, Greek maritime police reported one migrant dead and 18 others rescued after smugglers abandoned them during an attempted crossing from Turkey.
The UN refugee agency estimates that nearly 9,000 people have entered Greece since the start of the year, mostly by sea, with over 54,000 arrivals recorded in 2024.
Greece’s conservative government has taken a tougher stance on migration.
“If you want to enter Greece illegally and are not entitled to asylum, we will do whatever we can to send you back where you came from,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in parliament on Wednesday.
“Smugglers and NGOs cooperating with them will not determine who enters our country,” he added.
AFP
