Authorities reported that a commercial ship was involved in a rescue operation off the coast of Crete, where the bodies of three migrants were recovered.
The Greek Search and Rescue Center directed the commercial vessel to the location, leading to the rescue of twenty migrants. During the operation, an unfortunate incident occurred as the migrants attempted to board the commercial ship, causing their own wooden boat to overturn.
Search efforts for survivors are ongoing, with the Greek coast guard utilizing four patrol boats, an aircraft, and two vessels from the European border agency Frontex, according to a spokesperson.
Survivors mentioned that approximately 50 individuals were on the distressed wooden boat, while a separate boat carrying around forty migrants was also identified in the vicinity, prompting another rescue mission.
Crete has been a focal point for migrants attempting the dangerous journey from Libya to reach the European Union, with over 16,770 asylum seekers arriving on the island in 2025, as reported by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
In response to the influx of arrivals, the conservative Greek government took measures such as suspending asylum application processing for three months, particularly for those coming from Libya, last summer.
UNHCR documented that 107 individuals lost their lives or went missing in Greek waters in the year 2025.
