Greek Coast Guard Recovers 12 Bodies From Migrant Boat Off Crete
A Moroccan cargo ship pulled 18 survivors from the same vessel found 28 kilometers south of the island on Monday morning.
By Alessia Romano ·
Greek authorities recovered 12 bodies from a migrant boat located south of Crete on Monday morning. A passing Moroccan-flagged cargo vessel rescued 18 people from the same craft. The coast guard reported the boat was discovered approximately 15 nautical miles, or 28 kilometers, off the island's southern coast.
The coast guard stated that no further details were immediately available regarding the identities of the 12 deceased or the specific causes of death. The vessel was found early in the day, prompting the rapid response from the nearby cargo ship.
Two additional boats were also located in the same area on Monday. One carried roughly 47 people, while the other held about 40. A Frontex aircraft spotted the first vessel, and a Frontex drone detected the second. The European Union's border agency, Frontex, rescued all occupants from both boats. They are currently being transported to a port on Crete's southern coast.
Greece serves as a primary entry point for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Thousands attempt the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa, typically from Libya to Crete, in recent months. Others take a shorter but equally hazardous route from the Turkish coast to Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, often using unseaworthy inflatable dinghies.
In October, 12 people, including an infant, died when two boats traveling from Turkey to the islands of Lesbos and Samos capsized. This incident occurred just weeks before the Monday discovery off Crete.
Frontex reported in October that the eastern Mediterranean is the busiest route for migrants entering the European Union. Irregular border crossings into the 27-nation bloc have fallen by a third so far this year. The agency recorded approximately 31,800 crossings in the first three quarters of 2026. This represents a 15% decrease compared to the same period last year. The Libya-to-Crete corridor remains the busiest section of the route, ahead of the eastern Aegean islands and the land border with Turkey.
