Greece Three dead in boat accident off Crete
At least three people have died in a boat accident involving migrants south of the tourist island of Crete. 56 people have been rescued so far, as the Greek broadcaster ERTnews reported, citing the coastguard. The search for possible additional castaways is continuing.
12.11.2025, 08:02
SDA
Dramatic scenes before the accident
The broadcaster showed a video of helpers approaching the completely overloaded boat on the open sea. The people's cries for help can be heard, then the recording breaks off. Shortly afterwards, the boat capsized for reasons as yet unexplained.
Major rescue operation
Coastguard vessels, an air force helicopter and a boat from the European border protection agency Frontex took part in the rescue operation. The rescued people are to be taken to Crete first and receive medical treatment there. They are said to have stated that they set sail from the Libyan port of Tobruk.
Number of arrivals on Crete has risen sharply
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), almost 16,000 migrants have arrived on Crete since the beginning of the year and up to November 9th. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of around 300 percent, according to migration ministry circles. The government in Athens is calling for a fairer distribution of the refugee burden within the EU.
