At least 20 people have died and more than 100 have been rescued in a series of migrant boat incidents off the southern coast of Crete over the weekend and into Monday, Greek authorities have said.
Three separate search-and-rescue operations were carried out south of Crete, under the coordination of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and with Frontex’s assistance. The dead were found on two of the boats, about 15 nautical miles south-southwest of Kaloi Limenes, a town on Crete’s southern coast.
One vessel, a boat carrying foreign nationals, was initially located by a Moroccan-flagged container ship. The coastguard rescued 18 people from that boat, all Sudanese nationals, and recovered 12 bodies. A Frontex unmanned aircraft then spotted a second vessel carrying about 40 people southeast of Crete, while a third, carrying 47 people, was found south of Kaloi Limenes. Those on the second and third boats were picked up by European force vessels and are expected to be taken to the port of Kaloi Limenes.
Earlier on Friday, authorities were alerted to a boat in distress about six nautical miles southwest of Kaloi Limenes. A tugboat rescued 28 Sudanese nationals and recovered the body of a man, while survivors reported two more people had fallen overboard and were missing. Bad weather, with northerly winds, made towing the boat and continuing the recovery operation extremely dangerous. When the vessel was relocated the following morning, seven more bodies were found on board. In total, eight deaths were recorded in that incident. A toddler was among the survivors taken to hospital.
Authorities arrested two Sudanese nationals, aged 28 and 16, who were identified by other passengers as the alleged smugglers. They have been charged with illegal entry, facilitating illegal entry, forming a criminal organisation and fatal exposure.
Crete has become one of the main entry points into the European Union for migrants departing from Libya and attempting the crossing to Greece. According to UN figures, more than 37,000 migrants have arrived in Greece so far this year, already exceeding the total for the whole of 2025. More than 22,000 of the approximately 86,400 sea arrivals this year landed in Crete alone. The Greek government has announced plans to open a temporary housing complex near the Cretan capital, Heraklion.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The weekend's deaths underscore the extreme danger of the central Mediterranean route, where hundreds of migrants die each year attempting the crossing from North Africa.
- A record number of sea arrivals on Crete this year is straining local resources and putting pressure on the Greek government and the EU to respond.
- The arrests of alleged smugglers highlight the role of criminal networks in the migrant trade; the involvement of a minor points to complex enforcement challenges.
Background
Crete sits on a major migration route from Libya to Europe. Greece was at the centre of the European migration crisis in 2015-16, when nearly a million people arrived, mostly from Turkey. After border controls tightened, crossings from Libya have surged, particularly among people fleeing conflict in Sudan and seeking economic opportunities from countries including Bangladesh. More than 86,000 migrants have arrived in Greece by sea so far this year, according to UN figures, already surpassing the number who arrived in all of 2025.
Key Perspectives
Greek coastguard: said the survivors were "shivering from the cold", according to an unnamed official who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The coastguard said it was not immediately clear what caused the deaths but believes the boat had been at sea for days and struggled to reach shore due to strong winds.
Greek authorities: arrested two Sudanese nationals, aged 28 and 16, charging them with illegal entry, facilitating illegal entry, forming a criminal organisation and fatal exposure, after other passengers identified them as the alleged smugglers.
What to Watch
- The condition of survivors hospitalised, including the toddler, and any further bodies recovered from the sea.
- The court proceedings against the two arrested Sudanese nationals, and whether further suspects are identified.
- Whether the Greek government's planned temporary housing complex near Heraklion alleviates pressure on local infrastructure.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAt least 20 migrants were found dead off Crete.Euronews: “At least 20 people were found dead in two boats carrying foreign nationals, about 15 nautical miles south-southwest of Kaloi Limenes”
- SupportedA toddler was among the survivors taken to hospital.BBC News: “Four of the survivors were taken to hospital, including a toddler.”
- SupportedAt least 20 people died and more than 100 were rescued in incidents over the weekend and into Monday, according to Greek authorities.Euronews: “At least 20 people were found dead in two boats carrying foreign nationals”
- SupportedThree rescue operations recovered 105 people.Euronews: “three separate search and rescue operations have been carried out, during which a total of 105 people were recovered”
- SupportedThe coastguard rescued 18 people from the boat, all Sudanese nationals.BBC News: “The coastguard said it had rescued 18 people, all of whom were Sudanese nationals.”
- SupportedTwelve bodies were recovered from that boat.Euronews: “During the operation, officers also located and recovered twelve bodies from the boat.”
- SupportedThe second boat carried about 40 people and the third carried 47.Euronews: “a second boat carrying about 40 foreign nationals”
- SupportedSurvivors from the second and third boats were picked up by European force vessels and were expected to be taken to Kaloi Limenes.Euronews: “They were picked up by a vessel of the European force and are expected to be taken to the port of Kaloi Limenes in Crete.”
- SupportedIn the Friday incident, a tug rescued 28 Sudanese nationals and recovered one body; survivors said two people were missing.Euronews: “took on board 28 Sudanese nationals, as well as the body of a man. According to the survivors' statements, two more people on board had fallen into the sea and were missing”
- SupportedSeven more bodies were found the following morning, making eight deaths in that incident.Euronews: “it was found that there were seven more bodies inside the boat”
- SupportedTwo Sudanese nationals, aged 28 and 16, were arrested and charged with offences including fatal exposure after passengers identified them as allegedly in charge of smuggling.Euronews: “authorities arrested two Sudanese nationals, aged 28 and 16, who were identified by the other passengers as the individuals allegedly in charge of the smuggling operation. They have been charged”
- SupportedMore than 37,000 migrants had arrived in Greece so far that year, exceeding the total for 2025.BBC News: “More than 37,000 migrants have arrived in Greece so far this year, UN figures show, already surpassing the number who arrived in the entirety of 2025.”