A 12-year-old migrant boy was killed after being struck by a boat's propeller while attempting to reach the Greek island of Samos, authorities reported on Sunday. This incident occurred just hours after a separate tragedy in which at least 18 migrants drowned when their inflatable boat capsized south of Crete.
The boy's body was discovered by the Greek coastguard in the Svala area of Samos, after 37 other migrants from the same group safely reached the shore. Local media reported that an ambulance transferred the body to the island's hospital. An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the propeller strike on the vessel carrying the migrants.
The Samos incident followed a major shipwreck announced by Greek authorities on Saturday. An inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized in the Mediterranean south of Crete, resulting in at least 18 deaths. A Turkish merchant vessel spotted the half-sunken boat and rescued two survivors. Ongoing search efforts involved Frontex assets (including a ship and aircraft), a Greek coastguard helicopter, and several merchant ships, continuing into Sunday.
The origin of the capsized boat remains unknown.
Greece continues to serve as a primary gateway to the European Union for individuals escaping conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with such perilous crossings often ending in tragedy. While the short route from Turkey to nearby Greek islands in inflatable dinghies was once the main path—now curtailed by heightened patrols and reported pushbacks—recent months have seen a rise in longer, riskier voyages from Libya to Crete.
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.
