ATHENS,Greece (AP) – Two migrants,a man and a boy,died Tuesday when a speedboat carrying migrants capsized near the Greek island of Rhodes during an attempted evasion of the Greek coast guard. Sixteen other people – 12 men and four women – were rescued from the sea.
The incident underscores the continued dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe, notably via the Aegean Sea. Greece remains a primary entry point into the European Union for those fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and perilous sea crossings in overcrowded and often unseaworthy vessels frequently result in tragedy.
According to the coast guard, a patrol vessel encountered the speedboat heading toward Rhodes in the early hours of Tuesday. When the speedboat failed to respond to signals to stop, the patrol vessel initiated a chase. The coast guard stated the speedboat then performed “dangerous maneuvers” in an attempt to escape, ultimately overturning and throwing all those aboard into the water.
Following the capsizing, two patrol boats recovered the survivors and the bodies of the deceased. Authorities arrested three of the survivors – a 30-year-old Azerbaijani national and two Armenian nationals, aged 31 and 32 – on suspicion of migrant smuggling. They face charges including causing a shipwreck, negligent homicide, and violating immigration laws.
The tragedy follows a similar incident last week, where four people, including a child, died after a migrant boat sank off the island of Lesbos. Thirty-four individuals survived that sinking,reaching shore and later being taken into police custody.