Thirteen migrants found dead and 18 rescued from boat off Greece's Crete island

Greek coast guard vessels discovered 13 dead migrants and rescued 18 others from a sinking vessel off the coast of Crete on Monday. The crew of a container ship spotted the distressed boat approximately 28 kilometers from the port of Kaloi Limenes. The rescued individuals and the deceased were brought to safety ashore. Regrettably, one of the four survivors who received hospital treatment later succumbed to their injuries.

The source of the tragedy remains unclear as the circumstances surrounding the deaths have not been officially determined. Greek authorities speculated that the boat might have been adrift for several days and faced difficulties in reaching the shore due to harsh winds. A local coastguard official stated that the survivors were found shivering from the cold, as reported by Reuters under the condition of anonymity.

Of the four individuals transported to the hospital, a toddler was among the patients. The remaining survivors were scheduled to be transferred to a migrant center on Crete. Additionally, the coastguard reported rescuing 187 migrants during three separate incidents off the coast of Crete on Monday.

Greece has long served as a primary entry point for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia into Europe. During the migration crisis in 2015-2016, nearly one million people arrived on Greek islands, predominantly from Turkey. While arrivals have dwindled since Greece intensified maritime and border patrols, the number of journeys from Libya has surged in recent years. Many individuals flee conflict in Sudan, as well as poverty and instability in Bangladesh.