At least eight people died as a speedboat carrying migrants and asylum seekers from Turkey sank five nautical miles east of Afantou Beach off Rhodes, Greece.
The boat was spotted by port authorities as the smuggler was helping migrants disembark. The boat’s operator lost control while performing dangerous maneuvers to escape from the Coast Guard’s floating vessel, resulting in the migrants’ falling into the sea.
So far, eighteen migrants have been rescued, and eight bodies have been recovered. The searches are continuing with two floating vessels, and a third is on the way, while an Air Force helicopter is operating by air.
The speedboat’s operator has been arrested, and initial information indicates he is a Turkish national. The incident took place in broad daylight. The boat’s operator was reportedly traveling at a speed of more than 30 knots, according to the Coast Guard.
He maneuvered to avoid a pursuing vessel, hitting the front of his boat against the side of the Coast Guard. Many of those rescued were injured in the collision, while there is information that many of the bodies bore marks from the crash.
At least 35 Pakistani migrants died last week in Greece
Last week, 35 migrants from Pakistan remained missing and are now presumed dead after their boat sank near Greece’s southernmost island of Gavdos. The Pakistani Embassy in Athens said that 47 people have been rescued as the Greek Coast Guard called off rescue efforts on Wednesday.
According to the embassy in Athens, three boats carrying 175 illegal migrants of various nationalities, including Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Egyptians and Sudanese crew members, capsized off the Greek coast.
While all the passengers on two of the boats were rescued, only 39 out of 83 have been rescued from the third. Several teens were on board, and at least one 12-year-old Pakistani was among the passengers.
One survivor of the boat that capsized said the sea was rough and that the boat was small and not in great condition. Despite this, he said, the smugglers allowed many people to board, far surpassing the boat’s capacity.
That man and another individual said the boat hit a coast guard ship or cargo ship before it capsized. They said they were in the water for an hour and a half before being rescued.
Last year, more than 350 Pakistanis lost their lives when an overcrowded boat carrying hundreds of illegal migrants sank en route to Greece from Tobruk, Libya.
According to Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights, Pakistan, “in the year 2023 alone over 6,000 Pakistanis undertook illegal journeys to reach European shores,” though some estimates place the number significantly higher.
A report released by the commission in May of this year said most illegal migrants were motivated by economic concerns.
Related: Migrants Contributing to Workforce in Greece Amidst Severe Staff Shortages
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