ATHENS, Greece, Nov 9 – The death toll from a migrant boat discovered south of the Greek island of Crete has risen to 14 after authorities recovered 13 bodies from the vessel and another survivor later died at a local health center. The boat was carrying dozens of people when it was found in the Mediterranean Sea early Monday, raising fresh concerns about the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe through one of its busiest maritime routes.
The Greek coast guard said 13 bodies were initially recovered from the vessel, while 18 other people were rescued by a cargo ship passing through the area. One of those rescued later died after being transported to a health facility on Crete, bringing the confirmed number of fatalities to 14.
Authorities have not yet released information about the identities or nationalities of the victims. The circumstances surrounding their deaths also remain unclear, and officials have not established what happened aboard the vessel before it was discovered.
The boat was located approximately 15 nautical miles (28 kilometers or 18 miles) south of Crete, Greece’s largest island, during the early hours of Monday. A Morocco-flagged cargo ship came across the vessel and assisted in rescuing the 18 people who were still alive.
The coast guard initially reported that 12 bodies had been recovered. However, the number was subsequently revised to 13 as rescue operations and the transfer of survivors to Crete continued.
Four of the rescued individuals required medical attention and were taken to local health centers. One person was already unconscious when an ambulance arrived to provide assistance. Medical personnel later confirmed that the individual had died, according to the coast guard.
The remaining survivors were also brought to Crete, where authorities could assess their condition and establish further details about the incident.
More Migrant Boats Discovered as Crossings From Libya Continue
The deadly discovery came as Greek authorities dealt with three additional migrant boats detected south of Crete on Monday morning. Together, the vessels were carrying more than 180 people who were attempting to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa toward Greece.
According to the coast guard, one boat was carrying approximately 47 people, another had around 40 passengers, while the third was transporting roughly 100 people.
All three vessels were detected with assistance from aircraft or drones operated by Frontex, the European Union’s border and coast guard agency. The people aboard were expected to be transferred to Crete, where Greek authorities would receive them.
The simultaneous discovery of several boats highlights the continuing pressure on Greece’s southern maritime border, particularly along the route connecting Libya with Crete. The crossing has become one of the principal pathways used by migrants seeking to enter the European Union.
Greece occupies a significant position along the EU’s external borders and has long served as an entry point for people escaping conflict, political instability and poverty across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
In recent months, thousands of migrants have attempted the dangerous journey from North Africa, with departures from Libya accounting for a substantial share of arrivals toward Crete. The route involves long stretches of open water, exposing passengers to unpredictable weather, overcrowded vessels and limited access to emergency assistance.
Many migrants travel aboard small boats that are not designed to withstand extended journeys across the Mediterranean. Mechanical failures, insufficient supplies and overcrowding can increase the risks, particularly when vessels encounter difficult sea conditions far from the coast.
Other migrants attempt to reach Greece through the Aegean Sea, taking shorter routes from Turkey toward nearby Greek islands. Despite the relatively shorter distance, these journeys can also become deadly, especially when people travel in poorly equipped inflatable boats or other unseaworthy vessels.
Last month, 12 people, including an infant, died after two migrant boats traveling from Turkey toward the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos capsized. The incident demonstrated that both the eastern Aegean crossing and the longer journey from Libya continue to pose serious threats to people attempting to reach European territory.
Frontex reported in October that the eastern Mediterranean remained the busiest migration route for people attempting to enter the European Union. However, the agency also recorded a decline in irregular border crossings across the bloc compared with the previous year.
Approximately 31,800 crossings were registered along the eastern Mediterranean route during the first nine months of 2026. That represented a 15% decrease compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Despite the overall reduction, the maritime corridor connecting Libya with Crete remained the busiest section of the eastern Mediterranean route. It recorded more crossings than the eastern Aegean islands and the land border between Greece and Turkey.
The latest deaths add to the continuing toll associated with dangerous Mediterranean crossings, even as the number of recorded irregular arrivals has declined. For Greek rescue authorities, the discovery of multiple boats within hours of one another also underscores the ongoing challenges of monitoring extensive maritime areas and responding to emergencies.
With more than 180 people found aboard three additional vessels on Monday, attention remained focused on the situation south of Crete as authorities prepared to bring the rescued migrants ashore and assess their condition.