The bodies of 17 migrants were recovered and two survivors rescued by the Greek Coast Guard after a partially deflated inflatable boat was discovered approximately 26 nautical miles southwest of Chrysi, Crete, on Saturday evening. This tragedy stands as one of the deadliest maritime incidents in Greek waters since the Pylos shipwreck in 2023.

The alarm was first raised by a Turkish cargo ship that spotted the vessel in distress. Greek authorities immediately coordinated a search and rescue operation involving two Coast Guard patrol boats, a rescue helicopter, three merchant ships, and support from Frontex, including a vessel and an aircraft.

Rescuers found all 17 victims, identified as young men, already deceased. The two survivors were transported to a hospital in critical condition and informed officials that no other passengers were missing.

While autopsies are pending, preliminary reports from the port of Ierapetra suggest the cause of death was likely dehydration and exposure, as the group had been without water or shelter for over 24 hours.

The boat is believed to have originated from Libya, though the victims carried no identification documents, and their nationalities remain unknown.

Saturday’s tragedy underscores a sharp shift in migration routes toward the southern Mediterranean. According to UNHCR data, arrivals to Crete from North Africa surged in 2025, totaling over 16,700 by early December.

This trend follows a temporary 90-day suspension of asylum applications in July 2025, a measure enacted to deter arrivals from the Libyan coast.

Under the leadership of Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, the Greek government has continued to tighten its border policies. In September 2025, new legislation introduced prison sentences of two to five years for rejected asylum seekers who remain in the country beyond 14 days.

While Mr Plevris previously claimed these measures significantly reduced arrivals, human rights organisations argue that restricted access to safe ports has pushed migrants onto longer, far more dangerous routes.

Greece remains a primary entry point to the European Union. While increased patrols have reduced crossings from Turkey to the eastern Aegean islands, the southern route from North Africa to Crete has emerged as a high-risk and increasingly lethal alternative through the close of 2025.