Fifteen Migrants Die After Collision With Greek Coast Guard Near Chios
Fifteen Migrants Die After Collision With Greek Coast Guard Near Chios
Rescue teams race to locate missing after a speedboat carrying migrants collided with a coast guard vessel off Chios, leaving multiple casualties.
A collision in the Chios Strait late on Tuesday left at least 15 migrants dead after a speedboat carrying them collided with a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel. The coastguard said a pursuit was under way at the time of the collision, near the island of Chios in the area around the village of Vrontados.
Twenty-four people were rescued, some in serious condition, while others are reportedly still missing. The injured included seven children, a pregnant woman, and two coastguard officers. A search and rescue operation was ongoing on Tuesday night, involving four coastguard vessels, a privately owned boat carrying civilian divers, and a helicopter.
Greek state broadcaster ERT said the injured included several vulnerable passengers, underscoring the human toll of the ongoing migrant crisis in the region. Officials have not yet clarified the exact circumstances surrounding the crash, and authorities continued the search through the night as teams evaluated the fate of those still unaccounted for.
The incident highlights the perilous journeys migrants undertake to reach Europe and the risks faced by both those aboard unseaworthy craft and the crews patrolling these waters. The investigation into what happened is expected to continue as rescue operations wrap up and details emerge.
