Greece Migrant Boat Disasters Leave at Least 20 Dead, 133 Rescued off Crete

At least 20 migrants have died in a series of boat incidents south of Greece’s island of Crete over the weekend, while 133 people were rescued, Greek authorities said on Monday. Two people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.

In the first incident, the Greek coast guard rescued 28 Sudanese migrants from a vessel late Saturday and recovered eight bodies. Survivors said they had departed from Libya several days earlier, paying between 1,000 and 2,500 euros for the journey. Two men, aged 16 and 28, were arrested on suspicion of people smuggling.

A second boat was spotted in the same area by a passing cargo ship, which alerted authorities. A Greek coast guard patrol vessel rescued 18 people, while 12 passengers were found dead on board. There was no immediate information on the nationalities of the migrants or their point of departure.

In two further operations, 87 people were rescued from two separate vessels detected by aircraft and drones from the European Union’s border agency Frontex. One boat carried 47 passengers and the other 40, with both groups taken to the coastal town of Kali Limenes.

The death toll rose through the weekend as more bodies were recovered.

The coast guard said the first boat had been at sea for days and had struggled to reach shore due to strong winds, with survivors “shivering from the cold,” according to one official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Crete has become a major entry point for migrants attempting to reach Europe from Libya. More than 22,000 people have landed on the island so far this year, surpassing the total for all of last year. Across Greece, more than 37,000 migrants have arrived in 2026, already exceeding the figure for the entirety of 2025.

Greece’s Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said on Friday the country was preparing for “a crisis in Crete,” noting there had been 1,700 arrivals in the first three days of November alone.

The government has announced plans to open a temporary housing complex near Heraklion, the island’s largest city.