Overview
- Spanish, Italian and Greek coastguards reported more than 200 people rescued in separate operations from Oct. 18–20 across the Canary Islands, Lampedusa and the southern Aegean.
- Spain’s Salvamento Marítimo escorted a cayuco with 98 people into La Restinga (El Hierro) and separately rescued 58 near Fuerteventura, while 62 were brought to Gran Canaria on Monday with six taken to hospital.
- Italy’s coastguard intercepted a vessel with 91 people off Lampedusa, finding two men dead below deck and several survivors in serious condition; some were airlifted, and ANSA reported gasoline inhalation as the likely cause of the deaths.
- In Greece, the Hellenic Coast Guard rescued dozens near the islet of Gavdos, and authorities reported two fatalities after a separate shipwreck off Chios late last week.
- In a distinct incident, Italy confirmed the recovery of seven bodies from an Oct. 16–17 central Mediterranean shipwreck between Lampedusa and Malta’s search zone, raising confirmed deaths to eight as searches faced weather delays.