Atokos: The tiny Greek island where people and wild boars swim in the sea and sunbathe together

A tragic incident occurred off the Greek island of Gavdos, near Crete, when a boat carrying migrants capsized, resulting in one fatality and 25 people still missing, according to the Greek coast guard. The vessel, which was reportedly carrying 77 individuals, went down near the island, situated approximately 320km from the Libyan coast.

Upon rescue operations, 51 survivors were plucked from the sea by two boats in the vicinity. Greek authorities have been grappling with a significant decline in migrant arrivals, which dropped from around 61,000 in the year to August 2025 to 42,000 in the subsequent 12 months, a reduction of approximately 31%. This downward trend can be attributed to tightened immigration policies implemented by Greek authorities, as well as the growing influence of far-right, anti-immigrant parties across Europe.

In recent years, European countries have tightened their immigration rules in response to the rise of far-right, anti-immigrant parties. The Greek government, led by Immigration Minister Thanos Plevris, has adopted a stringent policy towards arrivals. Furthermore, Greece is in discussions with Germany and several other European Union nations regarding the establishment of return hubs outside the bloc for processing migrants.