Three migrants dead, more feared missing after boat sinks off Greek island

ATHENS – Three migrants died and many more were feared missing after their boat sank on Sept 23 off the Greek island of Samos, the Greek coast guard said.

At least 30 migrants were believed to be initially on board the vessel that foundered off the rocky shores of Agios Isidoros in the north-western part of the Aegean island, according to coast guard officials.

The three migrants found dead were all women, a coastguard official said. Five migrants had been rescued so far, among them a pregnant woman and a minor, who were taken to hospital for medical checks, another official told Reuters.

Four vessels and a naval helicopter were participating in the search-and-rescue operation launched by the coast guard early in the morning, after a resident reported the arrival of a few migrants on the shore.

Strong winds in the area hindered the operation, the official added.

The Greek authorities were also searching the island in case some of those believed missing had already reached the shore.

Greece was a favoured gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia between 2015 and 2016, when nearly one million people landed on its islands, mostly via inflatable dinghies.

The flow of people dropped off before resurging in 2023. REUTERS