Eight Migrants Dead After Boat Capsizes During Greek Coastguard Pursuit

A speedboat carrying migrants capsized near Rhodes following dangerous maneuvers to evade a Greek patrol vessel, with 18 survivors rescued and ongoing searches for missing passengers.

The speedboat capsized off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes while attempting to evade a coastguard patrol, resulting in at least eight fatalities, including a child.
Eighteen survivors were rescued, with several injured, and search operations involving coastguard vessels and a helicopter are ongoing to locate potential missing passengers.
Two survivors have been arrested on charges of people smuggling, with Greek authorities identifying the incident as part of a broader migrant smuggling crisis in the region.
The tragedy highlights a sharp rise in migrant arrivals to Greece in 2024, with over 50,000 arrivals by sea this year, driven by political instability and conflicts in the Middle East.
Greece has faced criticism for its handling of migration, with allegations of human rights violations against asylum seekers and increasingly hostile policies toward migrants.