Greece Searches for Missing Child After Migrant Boat Runs Aground Near Samos

Greek authorities are continuing their search for a child who went missing off the Aegean Sea island of Samos after a migrant boat ran aground on a rocky shore. The search entered its second day on Monday.

According to a statement from the Greek Coast Guard, 46 migrants, including 21 children, managed to reach land safely after their small inflatable boat struck the rocks on Sunday. One of the survivors informed authorities that her child had fallen into the water and disappeared as the dinghy crashed onto the shore.

Divers and coast guard vessels have been combing the area, but as of Monday, no trace of the child had been found.

The nationalities of the migrants aboard the boat have not been disclosed. Greece is a major entry point for people fleeing conflict and poverty from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia in search of a better life in the European Union. Many of these migrants attempt the perilous crossing from Turkey’s western coast to the Greek islands, including Samos and other islands in the eastern Aegean.