Boat carrying 77 migrants sinks off Greece; one dead, 25 missing

September 14, 2026 at 02:40 PM2 min

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A boat carrying 77 migrants sank off the Greek island of Gavdos near Crete, leaving one dead and 25 missing. Fifty-one people were rescued by two nearby vessels, and search operations continue with four ships, Frontex aircraft, and a coastguard helicopter. Strong winds are hampering rescue efforts.

Key Facts

At least 51 people were rescued after the boat sank near Gavdos, according to Greece's coastguard.
Survivors reported that 77 people were on board when the vessel went down.
Search and rescue operations involve four ships, Frontex aircraft, and a coastguard helicopter.
The rescued migrants were due to be brought to Crete for prescribed procedures.
Strong winds in the area have been hampering the search operation.

Rescue Operation

Fifty-one people were picked up by two boats that were in the area, a coastguard spokesman said on Monday. Search and rescue efforts were ongoing, with four ships, boats, Frontex aircraft and a coastguard helicopter operating in the area, Greece's public broadcaster ERT News reported. The 51 rescued people were due to be brought to Crete, where the prescribed procedures will be followed, ERT reported. Strong winds blowing through the area have been hampering the search operation, ERT said.

Migration Context

Crete and Gavdos, about 320km (200 miles) from the Libyan coast, have become the main point of entry for asylum seekers in Greece. In late August, Greece's ANA news agency published figures from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum that indicated that migrant arrivals in the country fell from about 61,000 in the year to August 2025 to 42,000 in the following 12 months – a decline of about 31 percent. Greece's conservative government in July suspended all asylum claims for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months, a move it argued helped deter crossings. The ban passed in parliament amid a surge in asylum seekers reaching Crete and after talks with Libya's Benghazi-based government to stem the flow were cancelled in July.