Two separate migrant shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday resulted in the deaths of 16 people, with seven lives lost off the coast of Greece and nine others off the coast of neighboring Turkiye.
The first tragedy occurred near the Greek island of Lesbos, where an inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized. Seven people, including two children, were confirmed dead, and 23 others were rescued by Greece’s coast guard. The boat, which was carrying approximately 30 people, sank in calm weather conditions, not far from the Turkish coast. Initially, four bodies were discovered in the Aegean Sea, but following a search operation, three additional bodies were recovered. The victims included four women, a boy, and a girl, though no further details about the remaining three deceased have been released, including their nationalities.
Greece, located at the southeastern edge of Europe, is a common route for migrants from Asia and the Middle East attempting to reach Western Europe. The country’s islands are often a key entry point for these individuals, who risk dangerous journeys to escape hardship and conflict.
In a separate incident off the coast of Turkiye, nine migrants were killed when their boat began sinking near the Ayvacik district on the western coast. The local governor’s office and coast guard reported that 25 survivors were rescued, and the search for one missing person continues. As with the incident in Greece, the nationalities of the victims were not immediately available.
Tragic shipwrecks like these are sadly commonplace in the Mediterranean, where thousands of migrants attempt perilous crossings each year. The United Nations reported nearly 2,500 migrant deaths in 2024. In a similar incident last month, Greek maritime police rescued 18 migrants after a smuggler abandoned them while attempting to cross from Turkiye, resulting in one fatality.
The UN refugee agency has also noted that nearly 9,000 people have entered Greece by sea since the beginning of 2025, with more than 54,000 entries in 2024.
In response to the ongoing migration crisis, Greece’s government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has taken a firm stance on immigration. In parliament on Wednesday, Mitsotakis declared that anyone attempting to enter Greece illegally would be deported if they were not eligible for asylum. He also criticized the role of smugglers and NGOs, stating that they should not dictate who enters the country.
