2 dead, 19 rescued after migrant boat sinks off Greek island

15/10/2025 7:38

Two people lost their lives and 19 were rescued after a migrant dinghy sank off Greece's Rhodes island on Tuesday, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.



The circumstances of the incident were under investigation, while the rescued were transferred to the island for first aid. Their nationalities have not yet been determined.



Greece has been a key entry point for irregular migrants and refugees into the European Union since 2015, with over one million arrivals recorded since then. Tragically, hundreds have perished at sea during these journeys.



Data released earlier this month by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex show a 22 percent drop in irregular migration flows through the Eastern Mediterranean in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.



Approximately 37,200 arrivals were recorded in Greek waters this year and in their majority were Afghans, Egyptians, and Sudanese, Frontex data show.