Eight migrants drown after boat tries to evade Greek ship

At least eight people drowned after a speedboat carrying migrants tried to evade a coast guard patrol in the Aegean Sea, the Greek coast guard said.

The coast guard said the speedboat capsized after the boat’s captain “lost control” while trying to avoid a Greek patrol vessel.

According to Greek media reports, the boat was traveling at high speed and collided with the side of a Greek coast guard ship that was trying to escape.

The coast guard said 18 people have been rescued from the sea so far, with many of the survivors suffering injuries after the incident.

Friday’s incident occurred near the island of Rhodes, opposite the Turkish coast, on a route often used by smugglers.

A Coast Guard helicopter and ships continue the search for more survivors.

Every year, thousands of migrants die on the dangerous journey in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe.

Last month Eight people, including six children, were rescued after a refugee boat sank off the Greek island of Samos.

So far this year, more than 50,000 migrants have arrived in Greece by boat, making it the second most used European migrant route after Italy.

The number of arriving migrants has been steadily declining since August 2023, but has been rising again since the summer. according to data by the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

According to the agency, about 180,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea this year, while 2,000 people were dead or missing. Around 23% of the arrivals were children.