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Seventeen men were found dead Saturday after a migrant boat was discovered adrift near Greece’s Crete island, according to a coastguard spokesperson. Two survivors in critical condition have been hospitalized, but the full details of how the vessel sank are still under investigation. Greek state TV reported that the bodies were located inside the vessel, which was taking on water and partially deflated.
Ierapetra’s mayor, Manolis Frangoulis, noted that all the victims were young men. The vessel, which had deflated on two sides, cramped the migrants into a smaller space. Authorities are considering dehydration as a possible cause of death, based on initial reports. The boat was located 26 nautical miles southwest of Crete, approximately 48 kilometers. It was spotted and reported by a Turkish cargo ship.
Rescue operations involved two Greek coastguard ships, a vessel from EU border agency Frontex, a Frontex aircraft, and a Super Puma helicopter. The survivors explained that rough weather had made the vessel unstable, preventing them from covering up or accessing food and water.
In the past year, migrants have increasingly targeted Crete as a point of entry into the European Union from Libya. The UNHCR reports that over 16,770 asylum-seekers have arrived in the EU through that route so far this year.
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