A migrant boat sank off the coast of Crete late Saturday, leaving one man dead, 40 others missing, and 39 survivors rescued, according to Greece’s coastguard.
The boat capsized 12 nautical miles southwest of the island, prompting a large-scale rescue operation in the waters south of Gavdos Island, which began shortly after midnight.
An Italian frigate and helicopters were deployed to the site, with additional ships en route. Local media reported that one man was airlifted to a hospital in Chania, Crete, where he was admitted to intensive care.
This tragedy comes amid a significant rise in migrant arrivals to Greece, with a 25% overall increase this year, particularly in the southeast Aegean and Rhodes, according to the migration ministry.
Similar incidents have occurred recently, including one in late November when eight migrants—six of them minors—died near the island of Samos, a known route for people smugglers.
