Tragedy in Greece, two shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea: the bodies of migrants recovered

Shipwreck of migrants in Greece – Twitter screenshot

The sea of ​​Greece has been the scene of two dramas in recent hours. The dramatic toll speaks of at least 15 dead and at least 80 missing.

Local media report that the first shipwreck occurred off the island of Kythira, where around 70 people are missing, while 30 others were rescued and returned to the mainland in the village of Diakofti. There were about 95 people on the boat. The rescue operation was carried out by firefighters and police.

The Greek Coast Guard, meanwhile, handled the rescue of the second episode, which took place near the island of Lesbos. Here were found the bodies of 15 migrants, all women, who were trying to save themselves aboard a dinghy that sank yesterday due to strong winds in the east of the island. Of the people on board the boat, 9 were rescued and 14 are still missing.

The migratory phenomenon in Greece

Greece has faced an increase in migrant traffic this year, with smugglers often taking the longest and most dangerous route to the south of the country, sailing from Lebanon instead of Turkey, to circumvent controls in the Aegean Sea. and reach Greece and Italy.

The Coast Guard rescued about 1,500 people in the first eight months of the year, up from less than 600 last year. Greece has denied claims by aid organizations that migrants were illegally returned to Turkey without being allowed to file asylum applications.