At least 15 migrants died after a boat carrying them collided with a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol vessel off the Greek island of Chios late on Feb. 3, Greek authorities said.
The Coast Guard said 25 foreign nationals, seven men, seven women, and 11 minors, were rescued and transported to Chios hospital. One woman later died from her injuries.
Fourteen bodies were recovered during search operations, bringing the total confirmed death toll to 15.
The incident occurred during a scheduled patrol near eastern Chios, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard. The Coast Guard said its inflatable patrol boat spotted a speedboat traveling without navigation lights toward the island.
Authorities said the operator of the boat failed to comply with light and sound signals.
The Coast Guard said that, during a pursuit, the operator of the boat changed course and the vessels collided. Due to the impact, the boat capsized, and passengers fell overboard, the Coast Guard added.
Two Coast Guard crew members, a man and a woman, were hospitalized. The male officer has been discharged, while the female officer remains under observation, authorities said.
Search operations continued on Feb. 4 with five patrol boats and a helicopter in use.
Minister Calls Tragedy ‘Unspeakable’
Greek officials described the incident as a tragedy while strongly condemning migrant smuggling networks.“Our sadness for the loss of 15 human lives in Chios is unspeakable. Our thoughts are with the injured migrants and Coast Guard personnel,” Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs Vassilis Kikilias said in a Feb. 4 update.
Kikilias blamed human traffickers for the deaths.
“Ladies and gentlemen, modern smugglers, traffickers, are enemies of the country,” Kikilias said. “They put human lives in mortal danger, both those unfortunate people and the Coast Guard officers, who selflessly perform their patriotic duty, which is to guard the maritime borders and save human lives.”
Kostas Arvanitis, a Greek lawmaker in the European Parliament and member of The Left group, called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of the collision, in a Feb. 4 post on the group’s X account.
“Maritime law requires rescue — not pursuit or pushbacks,” Arvanitis said. “Greece must stop being a country of tragedies.”
Migration Law
The collision comes amid stricter migration measures under the conservative government of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.The Greek Parliament on Sept. 3 passed legislation tightening penalties for rejected asylum seekers and accelerating deportations.
The law introduces prison sentences of two to five years and a minimum fine of 5,000 euros ($5,900) for illegal stays. It limits repeat asylum applications, allows administrative detention for up to 24 months, and shortens voluntary departure deadlines to 14 days.
Government officials say the measures are working.
Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris said in a Jan. 13 interview with Skai Radio that the legislative framework had two clear goals: strengthening deterrence and increasing returns, according to a transcript of the interview published by the Greek government.
He said arrivals had dropped significantly in the months after implementation.
“In July, a marginal increase of 1 percent was recorded compared to 2024, however, in the last five months of implementation of the new framework, arrivals decreased by 40 percent, with 13,000 fewer arrivals,” he said.
He added that return figures had also increased.
“In December alone, 995 returns were carried out,” Plevris said, noting that 406 were voluntary returns under the new framework.
Greece was on the frontline of the 2015–2016 migration crisis, when more than one million people crossed into Europe.
It outlines priorities through 2030, including stronger returns and legal pathways for skilled workers.
