The Greek migration minister warned that worsening winter weather and ongoing geopolitical turmoil are making Mediterranean crossings even more dangerous.
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Four people, including two children, lost their lives when a boat carrying migrants ran aground on the rocky shores of the eastern Greek island of Samos, officials reported on Thursday.
Sixteen people were rescued, but it remains unclear how many passengers were on board. The Greek coast guard launched a search-and-rescue operation involving patrol vessels, lifeboats, and land teams to locate any potential missing individuals.
The Greek migration minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, warned that the danger of small boat crossings is only rising as winter approaches.
“The conditions are certainly not favourable,” he told Skai television. “They do not tend towards reducing the flow of migrants, but rather increasing them — with all the geographical turmoil, especially in the Middle East, with ongoing wars and other issues.”
The tragedy follows a similar incident earlier in the week when eight migrants, including six children and two women, died in a shipwreck off Samos.
The island, along with others in the eastern Aegean, has become a major hub for people attempting to cross from Turkey to the EU.
Greek authorities link the recent surge in arrivals to conflicts in the Middle East and parts of Africa.
Panagiotopoulos reiterated Greece’s intention to seek funding for border wall construction under the EU presidency of Poland, which begins on 1 January.
In a separate development, Greek police announced the arrest of nine individuals accused of running a smuggling ring that facilitated illegal travel for migrants in the EU.
The group allegedly provided housing, clothing, and forged documents to migrants before escorting them to Athens International Airport. Fees for these services ranged from €3,000 to €5,000.
The group has reportedly been active since July.