22 migrants die in three days on sea route between Libya and Crete

The Greek Coast Guard found 13 bodies on a boat south of Crete after recovering eight bodies from another boat carrying Sudanese nationals. About 195 people who had departed from Tobruk were rescued as the route becomes the busiest.

At least 22 migrants died over three days while attempting to reach Greece from the Libyan coast in a series of incidents south of Crete, Greek Reporter said. Data from the Greek Coast Guard detailed two deadly incidents over the weekend and on the morning of Monday, November 9.

In the early hours of Monday, authorities were alerted to a boat in distress 15 nautical miles southwest of Kali Limenes. A Morocco-flagged cargo ship headed to the location and rescued 18 people: 11 men, six women and a minor. The Coast Guard patrol crew found 13 bodies inside the boat, including 12 men and one woman.

Coast Guard personnel and forensic teams at a port in southern Crete after recovering the bodies

After the patrol boat arrived at the port of Agia Galini, one unconscious survivor was taken to a health center in the town of Mires, where the person was pronounced dead. Three others, including a minor, were taken to Rethymno Hospital. Information about the victims' identities or nationalities was not yet available.

Sudanese migrants' boat caught in the storm

In an earlier incident, a tugboat recovered 28 Sudanese migrants and the body of a man from a boat southwest of Kali Limenes. However, strong northerly winds prevented the boat from being towed, leaving other bodies on board. A rescue boat later found the same vessel with seven bodies, bringing the death toll in the incident to eight. Survivors said two of their companions had fallen into the sea and remained missing, and that each person had paid between 12,000 and 16,000 Libyan dinars. Authorities arrested two Sudanese nationals, aged 28 and 16, on charges of smuggling the migrants.

The busiest route

Coast Guard teams also rescued 195 people from three boats south of Kali Limenes. They said they had departed from the Libyan city of Tobruk on November 7 after paying between 14,000 and 18,000 Libyan dinars. Three South Sudanese nationals aged between 16 and 18 were arrested after passengers identified them as the smugglers.

ERT quoted Stelios Paradisanos, deputy head of the Coast Guard personnel union in western Crete, as saying that the number of people rescued in the area since the beginning of the year had reached 26,000. Greek Reporter said the International Organization for Migration was warning that increased arrivals along the route raised serious humanitarian concerns, while Frontex data indicated that the route between Libya and Crete had become the busiest on the Eastern Mediterranean route.

Photos: ertnews.gr

22 migrants die in three days on sea route between Libya and Crete