Two dead in migrant boat sinking off Greek island

A migrant boat carrying 24 passengers, en route to Greece, sank in the sea, leading to the drowning of a woman and a man.

The Greek Coast Guard rescued the remaining 22 survivors and transported them to a nearby reception facility. This incident marks the latest in a series of shipwrecks in the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighting the perilous journey undertaken by migrants seeking refuge in Europe.

In recent months, several other maritime tragedies have occurred in the region. Last month, four people drowned off the coast of Samos, and 30 were rescued. Earlier this month, two people died near the island of Gavdos, and another four drowned off the coast of Kos.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 1618 migrants have lost their lives or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea this year. The Eastern Mediterranean route, between Türkiye and Greece, remains a popular but extremely dangerous pathway for those fleeing conflict and hardship in the Middle East and Africa.

The European Council, in a recent summit, focused on migration and discussed strategies to deter and return migrants to their countries of origin. The bloc concluded that there is an urgent need to "speed up returns" and explore "new ways to prevent and counter irregular migration." (ILKHA)