At least 15 migrants were killed and 24 injured after a rubber boat carrying migrants collided with a Greek coast guard patrol vessel in the Aegean Sea near the island of Chios, Greek authorities said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred late on Tuesday in the Mirsinidi sea area off the eastern coast of Chios, when a coast guard patrol spotted the migrant boat travelling without navigation lights, the Greek coast guard said in a statement.
Despite repeated light and sound signals ordering it to stop, the rubber boat attempted to change course abruptly and struck the patrol vessel, authorities said. The impact caused the migrant boat to capsize and sink, throwing all passengers into the sea.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched involving four coast guard patrol boats, a private vessel with divers and two navy helicopters.
Rescue teams recovered 25 foreign nationals from the water, including seven men, seven women and 11 children, who were transferred to Chios port and later taken to Skilitsio hospital, authorities said. One woman later died of her injuries, raising the death toll to 15.
In a separate operation, coast guard vessels recovered 14 bodies – 11 men and three women – which were also transferred to the hospital for identification and autopsy.
Two coast guard officers were injured during the incident, the coast guard said.
Search operations continued on Tuesday with five patrol boats and a helicopter to locate any missing persons. An initial investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the collision, authorities added.
Greece is a major entry point into the European Union for migrants crossing from Turkey, and deadly incidents involving overcrowded or unlit vessels are common in the Aegean Sea.