On Saturday, Greece’s coast guard announced efforts to find either survivors or bodies from a tragic incident involving a migrant speedboat that capsized the previous day near the eastern island of Rhodes.
The capsizing incident occurred when the boat attempted to evade a patrol vessel, leading to the confirmation of eight fatalities, according to officials.
In total, authorities reported rescuing 18 migrants, comprising 12 men, three women, and three minors, all of whom were identified as Afghan nationals. The deceased were also reported to be from Afghanistan.
Some of the rescued migrants are currently receiving medical attention, with one person reported to be in critical condition.
Two Turkish individuals aged 23 and 19 have been apprehended on suspicion of being involved in human trafficking related to this incident. The coast guard confirmed that the boat sank following its capsizing.
This tragic event marks the second deadly occurrence involving migrants in just one week.
Earlier, seven migrants lost their lives and many others were thought to be missing after another vessel partially sank south of Crete during the weekend. This was part of an extensive rescue operation that managed to save over 200 migrants.
Search efforts near Crete were concluded on Wednesday around the small island of Gavdos.
As per government statistics, the total number of migrants arriving illegally in Greece is anticipated to exceed 60,000 this year. Among them, Syrians represent the largest group, followed by Afghans, Egyptians, Eritreans, and Palestinians.