A Greek coast guard vessel collided with a migrant speedboat off the island of Chios on Tuesday, leaving many people dead or injured.
The coast guard said crews recovered 14 bodies from the sea — 11 men and three women. One of the women taken to hospital later died, bringing the confirmed death toll to at least 15.
ERTNews reported that 25 injured people, including 11 children and two coast guard officers, were admitted to the island’s hospital.
A search-and-rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter and divers remained underway to look for anyone still missing, as authorities had not immediately confirmed how many people had been aboard the speedboat.
According to media reports, the migrant vessel had been traveling from Turkey toward Chios when a Greek patrol spotted it and ordered it to change course. ERT said the patrol issued a warning signal and the migrant boat attempted to flee. For reasons that remain unclear, the two vessels collided, and some people fell into the sea, Skai television reported. No official detailed statement has yet been released.
The incident highlights the hazards of the short but dangerous crossing from the Turkish coast to the nearby Greek islands in the eastern Aegean. Many people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia try this route to reach the European Union. The UN refugee agency said about 1,000 people have made that crossing so far this year.
Fatal accidents on Mediterranean routes are common. The International Organization for Migration estimates roughly 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.
Edited by: Rana Taha