Greek Coast Guard Searches for Missing Migrants After 17 Bodies Found on Drifting Boat

Greek authorities continued a large-scale search operation on Monday after two survivors reported that 15 people had fallen into the sea from a migrant boat discovered drifting off the coast of Crete with 17 bodies on board.

The grim discovery was made on Saturday when a Turkish-flagged cargo ship spotted the partially deflated vessel about 26 nautical miles (48 kilometres) southwest of Crete. The craft was taking on water and showed signs of having been adrift for days. All 17 fatalities were men, according to the Greek coast guard.

Post-mortem examinations are ongoing, though early reports on state broadcaster ERT indicated the victims may have died from exposure, with hypothermia or dehydration viewed as likely causes.

A spokeswoman for the Greek coast guard told AFP that the two survivors — the only living people found on the boat — said the engine failed on Thursday, leaving the vessel helpless in worsening weather. They told authorities that 15 passengers fell overboard as the craft became unstable in heavy rain and storms that swept across Crete and much of Greece.

According to Greek port authorities, the boat had set off from the Libyan port of Tobruk on Wednesday carrying 34 people, many of them from Sudan and Egypt. The treacherous journey toward Crete has become an emerging route for migrants attempting to reach the European Union, despite the dangers posed by the Mediterranean crossing.

The discovery prompted an immediate search-and-rescue operation involving Greek coast guard vessels, aircraft and support from the EU border agency Frontex. As of Monday, no trace of the missing 15 had been found.

The incident comes as the European Union moves to tighten migration controls. In Brussels, the bloc’s 27 member states on Monday backed new measures that include the possibility of transferring rejected asylum seekers to processing centres outside EU territory.

Crete has seen a sharp rise in arrivals this year. The UN refugee agency reports that more than 16,770 asylum seekers have reached the island since January, the highest number among the Aegean islands.

Greece’s government has also adopted stricter migration rules, including a three-month suspension of asylum applications, particularly for those arriving from Libya.

The tragedy off Crete highlights the increasing risks migrants face as they attempt to reach European shores amid deteriorating weather conditions, expanding smuggling networks and intensified policy debates across the region.