2 survivors found among bodies on a migrant boat south of Crete say 15 others are missing

Greek authorities have launched a search and rescue operation for 15 missing migrants after a boat carrying 34 people was found partially sunken off the coast of Crete, the coast guard announced Monday.

The vessel was discovered Saturday by a Turkish merchant ship approximately 36 nautical miles southwest of Ierapetra in southern Crete. Seventeen men were found dead on board, while only two passengers—both Egyptian nationals—survived. The survivors were transported to a hospital in Crete for treatment, while the bodies were taken to a morgue for autopsies.

According to accounts from the survivors, the boat departed from Tobruk, Libya, on the evening of December 1 with passengers from Egypt, South Sudan, and Sudan. The vessel experienced engine failure the following day and began drifting at sea. During the ordeal, 15 passengers fell overboard and remain missing.

Search efforts have been hampered by adverse weather conditions, with strong winds and rough seas making rescue operations particularly challenging.

In a separate incident on Monday, Greek authorities reported the recovery of a child’s body near the eastern Aegean island of Samos. Coast guard officials also rescued 37 survivors from Syria and Afghanistan who had been transported to the island on a smuggling speedboat. While the vessel was later found abandoned in a nearby cove, the smuggler reportedly escaped capture.

These incidents highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean, where thousands of migrants attempt dangerous sea crossings each year. Greece has historically served as a primary entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict, persecution, and economic hardship in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The migration patterns have shifted significantly in recent years. Previously, migrants typically attempted the relatively short crossing from Turkey to nearby Greek islands. However, increased maritime patrols and allegations of pushbacks—summary deportations without asylum processing—by Greek authorities have altered these routes.

As a result, many migrants now undertake the much longer and more perilous journey across the Mediterranean from North Africa, particularly Libya. These crossings often involve poorly constructed wooden boats, inflatable dinghies, or dilapidated fishing vessels ill-equipped for open-sea navigation.

The Mediterranean migration route ranks among the world’s deadliest. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 2,500 migrants have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2023 alone, though experts believe the actual number could be significantly higher due to undocumented cases.

The European Union has struggled to develop a comprehensive approach to migration, with member states often divided over responsibility-sharing mechanisms and border management strategies. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations continue to call for safe, legal pathways for asylum seekers to reach Europe without risking their lives at sea.

These latest tragedies off the Greek coast underscore the desperate measures people will take to escape violence, persecution, and economic instability in their home countries, as well as the deadly consequences of restrictive migration policies and insufficient humanitarian responses in the Mediterranean region.

Greek authorities have indicated that rescue operations for the 15 missing migrants will continue as weather conditions permit, though hopes for finding survivors diminish with each passing hour.