Tragic Migrant Boat Drowning Near Greek Coastline Claims Five Lives, Leaves Several Injured

Greece has long been a preferred entry point into the European Union for migrants fleeing their country in pursuit of a better life. In fact, 10% of the total successful Mediterranean crossings his year have involved migrant trips to Greece. Almost 12,000 migrants have reached Greece by sea this year alone. Still, the chances of the trip across the Mediterranean going awry are very high. These migrants gamble on death and danger in the hopes of finding better opportunities.

In one such tragedy, five people drowned and numerous were rescued in two misfortunes involving migrant boats heading to the Greek Island Lesbos. Four of the victims involved an 8-year-old boy and three girls all under a year of age.

How did the Migrant Boat Sink?

The coast guard claims one of their patrol boats spotted a dinghy carrying 37 people off the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea. It said the passengers fell overboard upon realizing they had been spotted. Consequently, the dinghy sank near the Turkish coast near the Greek island, Lesbos.

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While the Greek Coast Guard rescued 18 migrants, it was unable to help the four now-deceased. Interestingly, although the boat sank in Turkish waters, it was the Greeks, not the Turks, who came to the migrants’ rescue. Officials rushed the survivors to Mytilene, Lesbos’ main port. Meanwhile, two people were hospitalized at a local facility.

The coast guard rescued another 75 migrants on inflatable dinghies near Lesbos in three similar incidents later on the same day.

How European Authorities Reacted

Greek Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis expressed his sorrow about the four deaths in a briefing. He also praised the coast guards’ “superhuman” rescue efforts. He also underlined that they should be focused on “dismal smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable people.” Coast Guard officials noted that the boats saved dozens of people off multiple dinghies that very weekend.

The government has long tried to combat the issues faced by the coast guard due to migrant boats. Unrest in Africa, smugglers capitalizing on an increase in small boat traffic, and better summer weather have contributed to the rise in migration.

The government has also implemented summary deportations for migrants without allowing them an opportunity to seek refuge. This move has faced strong backlash from both migrants and human rights organizations. Greece has also increased security along its borders with Turkey to halt arrivals. The move came after nearly a million people arrived in Greece in 2015. At this point, Europe’s migration crisis was at its peak.

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