On Wednesday, a tragic incident off the coast of Gavdos, a small island in southern Greece, resulted in the death of at least one individual while two others remain unaccounted for. A wooden vessel carrying approximately 100 migrants capsized, prompting a swift response from Greece’s coast guard.
Thankfully, 97 individuals were rescued by a nearby cargo ship and are currently being transported to Heraklion on the island of Crete, as reported by local authorities. Among the survivors were 50 men hailing from Pakistan, alongside 39 men and two women from Sudan, five men from Bangladesh, and one man from Somalia. The boat sank about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Gavdos, according to the coast guard. Reports from the survivors indicated that three men, from Pakistan and Sudan, are still missing.
During the search and rescue efforts, the body of one man was retrieved, while operations continue to locate the remaining two individuals. It remains unclear what caused the boat to sink in these perilous waters.
This incident follows closely after a similar tragedy in which two women and two children lost their lives near the eastern Greek island of Kos, when a smuggling vessel overturned while attempting to cross from Turkey. In that case, rescuers managed to save an additional 27 individuals.
Greece has become a crucial entry point into the European Union for many individuals escaping conflict and dire living conditions in regions across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Thousands are making their way to Greek islands, frequently using smuggling boats originating from the Turkish mainland, while others undertake the more perilous route across the Mediterranean from North Africa.
As of early October, statistics show that over 42,000 migrants have reached Greece this year alone, with a significant majority—more than 36,500—doing so by sea, according to the latest reports from the United Nations refugee agency.
In a statement made on Tuesday, Greece’s Deputy Minister for Migration, Sofia Voultepsi, highlighted the ongoing influx of migrants due to wars in the Middle East and Africa, compounded by climate change, which she stated would exert long-term pressure on Europe’s immigration systems. She also expressed concerns regarding the relevance of a new European Union migration pact established earlier this year, emphasizing the need for a cohesive EU-wide framework for managing deportations of those whose asylum applications are denied.
The implementation of the EU migration pact is planned for mid-2026, following a fresh round of negotiations expected to unfold over the next year with all 27 member states.
Voultepsi further emphasized the rising number of refugees in Lebanon due to ongoing conflict, particularly in light of Israeli airstrikes targeting the Hezbollah group.
In a related development, an Italian naval vessel recently arrived at a port in Albania carrying 16 migrants who were intercepted in international waters. Their asylum requests will be processed in Albania under a five-year agreement established between the two nations.
Italy continues to be a primary destination for irregular migration in Europe, having recorded over 52,000 arrivals thus far in 2024. Meanwhile, in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proposed suspending the right to asylum temporarily, a new policy that was discussed during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
