After spending six days at sea, 22 migrants die off the coast of Greece.

 

File photo of a European border agency vessel during a rescue operation near Greece in 2026 (Image: Reuters)

The Greek coastguard reported that after spending six days in a dinghy headed for Europe, 22 migrants died off the coast of Greece. A vessel operated by the European border agency brought 26 survivors, including a woman and a child, to safety on Friday. Two of them were transported to a hospital on the Crete island of Heraklion. According to AFP, which cited a coastguard spokesperson, the migrant boat had left the port of Tobruk in eastern Libya on March 21. The coastguard said that the deaths were caused by bad weather and a lack of food and water. Through the Mediterranean, Greece and Italy receive a large number of undocumented migrants, frequently from Turkey and northern Africa. During the summer, when bad weather is less likely, many of these crossings take place. The Greek coastguard stated, "The passengers [of the dinghy] lost their orientation during the journey and remained at sea for six days without water and food." 53 nautical miles from Ierapetra, a city on the southern coast of Crete, the boat came to a stop. According to Greek authorities, two South Sudanese men, ages 19 and 22, had been arrested on suspicion of trafficking in people.

They are currently the subject of an investigation for "negligent homicide" and "illegal entry into the country." Twenty-one of the survivors, according to the coastguard, were from Bangladesh, four from South Sudan, and one from Chad. At least 41,696 arrived in Greece by sea in 2025, according to the UN's refugee agency UNHCR.  More than 4,000 have so far arrived this year.

 But the journey can be perilous, especially in bad weather, while people smugglers often overcrowd boats without adequate supplies or lifejackets.

 UNHCR statistics show that in 2025, at least 103 people in the eastern Mediterranean were thought to be dead or missing. In December, 17 migrants were discovered dead inside a boat that was partially submerged and taking on water near the Cretan coast.

Source: BBC