A Greek coast guard boat collided with a migrant speedboat off the island of Chios on Tuesday, leaving many people dead or injured.
The Coast Guard said that the bodies of 14 people — 11 men and three women — were recovered from the sea. One of the injured women later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to at least 15.
ERTNews, a Greek broadcaster, reported that 25 injured individuals, including 11 children and two coast guard officers, were taken to the island’s hospital.
A search-and-rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter, and divers was underway to find potentially missing individuals, as the total number of people who had been on board the speedboat was not immediately clear.
What do we know about the collision?
According to the media reports, a boat carrying dozens of migrants was traveling from Turkey toward the coast of Chios. A Greek coast guard patrol reportedly spotted the boat and ordered it to change course.
ERT, the public broadcaster, said the patrol issued a warning signal after spotting the migrant boat, which then tried to escape.
For reasons that are still unclear, the two boats collided, causing some people to fall into the sea, according to the Athens news channel Skai. No official statement has been released yet.
Perils of Mediterranean migrant route
A significant number of people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia attempt to cross into the European Union through Greece.
Many of these individuals undertake the short but often perilous crossing from the Turkish coast to the nearby Greek islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 1,000 migrants have made the crossing since the beginning of this year.
However, fatal accidents are common. According to the International Organization for Migration, about 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.
Edited by: Rana Taha
