Eight Sudanese migrants die after boat encounters storm near Crete

At least eight migrants died, two are missing, and 28 were rescued after their boat encountered a storm off the Greek island of Crete, UPI reported on November 9. The Hellenic Coast Guard stated that the passengers on the vessel were Sudanese nationals. [1]

According to UPI, a Hellenic Coast Guard lifeboat recovered seven bodies from the vessel on Monday, located 12 miles west-south-west of Kala Limenas. Rescue teams had initially rescued 29 Sudanese nationals, including one deceased person, during an attempt early Sunday. That earlier operation was abandoned after weather conditions became too dangerous to continue. Survivors informed the coast guard that at least two people had previously fallen overboard. [1]

The disaster occurs alongside other deadly incidents involving migrant sea crossings to Europe. On June 14, 2023, an overcrowded fishing trawler carrying an estimated 400 to 750 migrants sank in international waters off Pylos, Greece, after departing from Tobruk, Libya. As FTMQ News reported earlier, another migrant vessel carrying 350 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti overnight between October 8 and October 9, leaving at least 109 migrants dead and 116 missing. [3][4]