A collision between a Greek coast guard vessel and a migrant speedboat off Chios on Tuesday left many people dead or injured.
Coast guard crews recovered 14 bodies from the sea — 11 men and three women. One of the women who had been taken to the island’s hospital later died, raising the confirmed death toll to at least 15.
Local media and hospital officials said 25 people were treated for injuries, including 11 children and two coast guard officers.
Search-and-rescue teams using patrol boats, a helicopter and divers continued working to find anyone still missing. Authorities had not immediately released a passenger count for the migrant boat, so the full number onboard remains unclear.
According to media accounts, the smuggling vessel was moving from Turkey toward Chios when a Greek patrol intercepted it and ordered it to change course. Reporters said the patrol fired a warning signal and the migrant craft tried to flee; for reasons that have not been confirmed, the two craft collided and several people were thrown into the water. No detailed official account has been published.
The episode underscores the dangers of the brief but hazardous crossing from the Turkish coast to nearby eastern Aegean islands. Thousands fleeing conflict, persecution and economic hardship in the Middle East, Africa and Asia use this route in hopes of reaching the European Union. The UN refugee agency has reported that roughly 1,000 people have made this crossing so far this year.
Deadly accidents on Mediterranean migration routes are frequent. The International Organization for Migration estimates about 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.
Edited by: Rana Taha