In Greece, a Greek coast guard vessel opened fire on a speedboat smuggling migrants from Turkey, resulting in the death of one man, as reported by Greek authorities on Friday. The coast guard released a statement explaining that the fatal shot was fired after the speedboat’s helmsman attempted to ram the Greek patrol boat in a bid to escape arrest. Fortunately, the remaining 13 migrants onboard the speedboat were unharmed and later taken to the southeast Aegean Sea island of Symi.
The incident took place northwest of Symi after the helmsman of the smuggling boat repeatedly disregarded instructions to stop. The coast guard reported that the helmsman engaged in dangerous maneuvers, including a attempted ramming of the Greek boat, putting the crew in direct danger.
Details regarding the identity of the deceased individual, such as whether he was steering the migrant smuggling vessel, remain unclear. The coast guard mentioned that the boat was traveling from the nearby Turkish coast to Symi.
Authorities did not confirm whether any arrests were made in connection with the suspected smugglers. It’s noted that thousands of migrants attempt to reach Greece’s eastern Aegean islands annually in small boats, often relying on smuggling rings for passage, with reports of Greek coast guard encounters involving attempted rammings by smugglers seeking to evade capture.
According to the United Nations refugee agency, roughly 30,000 migrants have illegally entered Greece this year from Turkey, and increasingly from Libya in North Africa. Although a slightly lower number compared to Italy and Spain, Greece is a significant destination for those attempting to reach Europe unlawfully, with many migrants coming from Afghanistan, Syria, or Egypt.