On Tuesday, the coast guard in Greece initiated a rescue operation for a group of people stranded on a sailing boat near an uninhabited island far from the mainland.
The boat was spotted by a private vessel near Falconera, a small island known for its strong currents and rough seas. It is estimated that around 50 individuals were on board. Currently, a coast guard helicopter is present at the scene, with four coast guard vessels en route to the island.
In a separate incident on the same day, 19 individuals were rescued from a dinghy that had lost steering northeast of the island of Samos in the eastern Aegean.
This comes after a tragic incident in June, when a dilapidated trawler sank southwest of Greece while smuggling approximately 750 people from Libya to Italy. Only 104 individuals survived, and Greek authorities faced criticism for the perceived delay in their response.
In recent weeks, Greece has experienced an increase in the number of people arriving by sea. The country has long been a preferred route for migrants seeking refuge from conflicts and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. While the eastern islands near Turkey were historically significant entry points, stricter deterrence measures in recent years had led to a decrease in arrivals.
