12 dead in latest migrant boat tragedy off Crete; more vessels head towards Greece

Greek authorities recovered 12 bodies from a boat carrying migrants south of the island of Crete on Monday, while 18 others were rescued by a passing Moroccan-flagged cargo ship. The vessel was found about 15 nautical miles (28km) south of Crete as it sailed across the Mediterranean Sea, the Greek coast guard said.There was no immediate information about the identities of those who died or the circumstances of their deaths.The incident came amid a fresh surge in migrant arrivals off Crete. On Monday morning, authorities detected three other boats carrying more than 180 people along the same route from North Africa.One of the boats, carrying around 47 people, was spotted by an aircraft operated by the European Union's border agency, Frontex. Another, with about 40 people on board, was detected by a Frontex drone.The drone later spotted a third boat carrying around 100 people, about 47 nautical miles (87km) south of Crete. All those on board the three boats were to be taken to the island, the coast guard said.Greece has become a major entry point into the European Union for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. In recent months, thousands have attempted the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa, particularly from Libya to Crete.Others take the shorter but often equally dangerous route from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Many travel in unseaworthy inflatable dinghies and other small boats.Last month, 12 people, including an infant, died after two boats carrying migrants from Turkiye capsized while heading towards the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos.According to Frontex, the eastern Mediterranean was the busiest route for migrants attempting to enter the 27-member European Union in the first three quarters of 2026.The agency recorded around 31,800 crossings during the period, down 15 per cent from the same period last year. Overall, irregular border crossings into the bloc fell by a third.The Libya-to-Crete corridor was the busiest section of the eastern Mediterranean route, followed by the eastern Aegean islands and the land border with Turkiye.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.