A tragic incident occurred on Friday morning off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes when a speedboat carrying migrants capsized, resulting in eight fatalities and 18 rescues, according to Greek authorities.
The coast guard reported that the incident took place while the speedboat was attempting “dangerous maneuvers” to evade a patrol vessel, causing the migrants to fall into the sea. A rescue operation is ongoing, involving coast guard vessels and a helicopter, as authorities are uncertain if other passengers are still missing.
Rhodes, located near Turkey, is part of a major illegal smuggling route in the eastern Mediterranean. This marks the second deadly migrant incident in Greece in just a week. Earlier, seven migrants were killed, and dozens went missing after a boat partially sank south of Crete. The search for survivors around the tiny island of Gavdos was called off on Wednesday.
Government data indicates that the number of migrants arriving illegally in Greece this year is expected to surpass 60,000, with Syrians making up the largest group, followed by Afghans, Egyptians, Eritreans, and Palestinians.
