20 migrants die trying to reach Greece’s Crete

Late Saturday, maritime police initiated a rescue operation amid challenging sea conditions, following a distress signal transmitted by a vessel. The Greek coast guard disclosed on Monday that a staggering twenty people had perished over the weekend while attempting to reach Crete, an increasingly popular destination for migrants en route to the European Union.

Among the fatalities, eight bodies were discovered on one boat, while twelve were found on another. Additionally, approximately forty individuals were rescued from both vessels.

Maritime police launched an emergency rescue late Saturday after receiving an alarm signal from a boat, made more perilous by strong winds. According to the coast guard, around 28 survivors and one body, all Sudanese nationals, were retrieved by another vessel sailing nearby. These survivors and the deceased were subsequently transferred to a police vessel and transported to Crete.

During the night from Sunday to Monday, the coast guard discovered a boat adrift, with seven more bodies aboard. On a separate incident, 12 bodies were discovered on a boat located south of the island on Monday, while 18 people were rescued. Crete has emerged as one of the principal entry points into the EU for migrants departing from Libya, undertaking the hazardous sea crossing to reach Greece. Many of these perilous journeys end tragically when vessels sink or encounter difficulties at sea.