At least four people, including two children, died when a migrant boat capsized in the eastern Aegean Sea on November 28, marking the second deadly shipwreck in the region this week.
The incident occurred northeast of Samos Island, where the Greek coast guard found the bodies of two women and two children near an overturned dinghy. Sixteen others were rescued. The nationalities of the victims have not been disclosed.
This tragedy follows a shipwreck on Monday that killed eight people, including six children, near the same area. Since 2014, over 2,500 migrants, including children, have died attempting to cross the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe.
UNICEF expressed condolences for the victims, calling for stronger protections for children and safer migration routes. The number of migrants arriving in Greece has increased this year, with over 56,000 reaching the country in 2024, compared to 49,000 in 2023. Greek officials expect this number to rise as conflicts in the Middle East continue.
The Greek government plans to reinforce its borders and strengthen efforts to prevent migrant arrivals, including construction of a border wall with EU funding. Additionally, police arrested nine individuals suspected of operating a migrant smuggling ring.
