Overview
- The Hellenic Coast Guard revised the count to 17 bodies recovered and two survivors after locating a partially submerged inflatable south of Crete.
- The survivors told authorities that 34 people were aboard, the boat departed Tobruk on December 1, its engine failed, and 15 fell overboard and are missing as searches continue in rough seas.
- A Turkish-flagged merchant ship first spotted the vessel roughly 36 nautical miles southwest of Ierapetra and alerted rescuers.
- Greek patrol boats, a helicopter and Frontex aircraft and a vessel joined merchant ships in the search-and-rescue operation, and the survivors were taken to a hospital on Crete.
- UNHCR figures cited in reports show rising 2025 arrivals to Greece, including a surge on the Libya–Crete route, with about 42,000 nationwide and roughly 16,700 to Crete.