At least 16 migrants, including three minors, drowned on Thursday in two separate shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea—one off Turkey’s western coast near Ayvacik and the other near the Greek island of Lesbos.
Turkey’s coast guard was alerted around 6:30 a.m. (03:30 GMT) about an inflatable boat sinking near Ayvacik, where nine bodies were recovered, and 25 people were rescued. Search operations continued into the afternoon.
“The death bodies of nine irregular migrants were recovered,” while 25 people were rescued, the Turkish coast guard announced.
Near Lesbos, another boat sank the same morning, killing seven—three minors, three women, and one man. The 23 survivors, mostly Afghans and Syrians, were taken to a migrant reception center. Greek authorities said search efforts were ongoing.
“A rescue operation was immediately launched, saving a total of 23 foreign nationals—8 men, 4 women, and 11 minors. According to the survivors, there were 31 people on board the dinghy,” reads a statement put out by Hellenic, Greece’s national coast guard.
Dangerous crossings between Turkey and Greek islands like Lesbos, Samos, and Chios are common, with many migrants fleeing war and poverty. According to the IOM, nearly 400 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year, while 2,333 perished in 2024.
Since January 1, 2025, nearly 9,000 people have entered Greece illegally, mostly by sea, according to the UNHCR. The Greek government, accused of migrant pushbacks, continues tightening immigration policies.
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