A migrant boat sank near the island of Lesbos, resulting in the deaths of four people—a boy, a girl, and two women. Rescuers managed to recover their bodies and save 23 others. This was reported by Reuters, citing the Greek Coast Guard.
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. when a coast guard patrol spotted the boat. Search and rescue operations are still underway, but the exact number of people on board remains unknown.
Greece has long been one of the main routes for migrants seeking to reach Europe. In 2015, nearly a million people arrived on its shores. In 2023, approximately 54,000 migrants reached Greece, making it the second-highest figure in Southern Europe after Italy. The vast majority arrived by sea, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency.
Earlier, on March 20, one person died in the English Channel following the sinking of a migrant boat. Amid the increasing number of such tragedies, the UK government is considering introducing criminal liability for “endangering life at sea” as part of efforts to combat illegal migration across the English Channel.
