Twenty-two migrants have died off the coast of Greece after spending six days at sea in a rubber boat, according to survivors who spoke to the Greek coastguard.
The coastguard reported that 26 people, including a woman and a minor, were rescued by a vessel operated by the Frontex European border agency off Crete, with survivors saying that those who died had their bodies thrown overboard, reports RTE.
Two of the rescued individuals were taken to hospital in Heraklion on the island of Crete, the coastguard confirmed.
Based on accounts from survivors, officials said the boat had departed from Tobruk, a port city in eastern Libya, on 21 March, heading towards Greece, a key entry point for migrants seeking asylum in the European Union, reports RTE.
“During the journey, the passengers lost their bearings and remained at sea for six days without food or water,” the coastguard stated,
The victims’ bodies “were thrown into the sea on the orders of one of the smugglers”, it added, reports RTE.
Greek authorities have detained two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, who are suspected of being involved in smuggling the group.
They are currently under investigation for “illegal entry into the country” and “negligent homicide”, reports RTE.
The boat was located 53 nautical miles south of Ierapetra, a town on the southern coast of Crete.
A coastguard spokesperson told AFP that the vessel had faced “unfavourable meteorological conditions” during the journey, reports RTE.
Combined with a lack of food and water, this had “led to the deaths through exhaustion of 22 people,” the spokesperson said,
“The bodies of these dead people were thrown into the sea on the orders of the two traffickers, who have been arrested, according to testimony by survivors,” he added, reports RTE.
The number of migrants dying while attempting to reach EU territory has more than doubled in the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to Frontex.
Figures from the International Organization for Migration show that 559 people died in the Mediterranean during January and February, up from 287 during the same timeframe last year, reports RTE.
In December, 17 migrants were discovered dead inside a partially deflated boat that had been taking on water southwest of Crete.
Greek authorities found just two survivors at the time, stating that another 15 people had drowned, reports RTE.
Their bodies were never recovered.
In an effort to reduce crossings, the European Parliament on Thursday backed stricter EU migration measures, including the introduction of “return hubs” intended to transfer migrants to non-EU countries, reports RTE.
These proposals have faced criticism from human rights organisations, which have described them as inhumane.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
