Authorities reported that 20 migrants died over the weekend while attempting to navigate the perilous waters to Greece’s island of Crete. The Greek coast guard confirmed the grim discovery of eight bodies on one boat and 12 on another.
The incident prompted a swift emergency response from maritime police late Saturday after a distress signal was issued by one of the vessels. Rescuers faced challenging sea conditions characterized by strong winds.
On Sunday, 28 survivors, all identified as Sudanese nationals, were rescued along with one deceased individual. They were found by another nearby boat and subsequently transferred to a police vessel headed for Crete. Later, during the night from Sunday to Monday, the coast guard located the distressed boat and retrieved seven more bodies.
In a separate operation on Monday, another 12 bodies were found aboard a vessel south of Crete, alongside 18 rescued individuals. The island has become a primary entry point into the European Union for migrants departing from Libya, despite the inherent risks of such crossings often leading to tragic outcomes.
