Greece: four migrants found dead after boat sinks near Lesbos

Monday 27 October 2025 - 11:30

By: Sahili Aya

Greece: four migrants found dead after boat sinks near Lesbos

Four migrants were found dead on Monday after their boat sank off the coast of Lesbos, one of Greece’s main entry points for asylum seekers attempting to reach the European Union from Turkey, Greek coastguards said.

“Four men were recovered lifeless off Lesbos, while seven others were rescued by patrol boats,” a spokeswoman for the Greek coastguard told AFP. Strong winds of up to 60 km/h were blowing in the area at the time of the incident.

Rescue operations were still underway to locate possible survivors, though authorities said they had no information yet on the total number of passengers on board.

Located close to Turkey’s western coast, Lesbos, along with Chios, Kos, Leros, and Samos, remains one of the most common gateways for migrants crossing the perilous Aegean Sea. These crossings often end in tragedy, as overcrowded and fragile boats face rough seas and unpredictable weather.

This latest shipwreck marks the third deadly incident in October. Ten days ago, two women were found dead on the island of Chios after their boat, carrying 29 migrants, ran aground on a rocky shore. On October 7, four migrants had already drowned off Lesbos.

Just last Friday, 17 people died when their boat capsized near Bodrum, a Turkish coastal city only five kilometers from the Greek island of Kos. According to international organizations, nearly 1,400 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far in 2025, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian crisis at Europe’s borders.