In a tragic incident off the coast of Greece, close to 80 migrants have lost their lives after a fishing vessel capsized in the Aegean Sea, according to Greek authorities. The Greek Coast Guard has confirmed that at least 79 people have died, while other reports suggest the figure is 78. So far, 104 individuals have been rescued and brought to Kalamata, a city in southern Greece. The Greek Shipping Ministry has stated that this event represents the deadliest shipping incident in Greek waters since the migration crisis in 2015. Unfortunately, the death toll may rise as unconfirmed estimates state that up to 650 migrants may have been on board the boat. The Greek Air Force and Navy are actively participating in the rescue operations. Disturbingly, none of the survivors were wearing life-saving equipment. Survivors have described the boat sinking at approximately 2:30 a.m. EEST, estimating that there were around 700 people on board. The Greek Coast spotted the vessel on Tuesday but, despite its unusual movements, the ship did not request assistance when contacted. While authorities offered help, the passengers initially refused before accepting food and water from passing cargo ships. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard agency, has reported a significant increase in illegal border crossings in the Central Mediterranean, with over 42,200 incidents in the first four months of 2023. They attribute this rise to organized crime groups taking advantage of political instability in departure countries to smuggle migrants across EU borders.
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