A Greek Coast Guard vessel collided with a boat carrying irregular migrants during a chase off the island of Chios in the eastern Aegean Sea.
A statement from the Coast Guard reported that all migrants on the boat fell into the sea due to the impact of the collision, 15 irregular migrants (11 men and 4 women) lost their lives, and 26 people, including 2 coast guard officers, were injured.
A senior Greek official told local media that the speedboat, reportedly used by migrant smugglers and carrying approximately 30 people, was detected by the coast guard vessel as it tried to approach the Myrsinidi area on the island’s eastern coast to disembark passengers. It was later learned that a chase ensued, during which the vessel and the boat collided.
