Photo: Greek Coast Guard The maritime tragedy occurred last night (Tuesday, February 3, 2026) off the eastern coast of the island of Chios in Greece, when a migrant boat capsized and sank during a pursuit by the Hellenic Coast Guard. Fifteen people were killed, and dozens more were injured.
According to a statement from the Coast Guard, a patrol boat of the organization spotted an inflatable speedboat carrying migrants in the evening, which was moving without navigation lights towards the island's shores. After failing to respond to stop signals, the boat changed course, and the vessels made contact, during which the migrant boat struck the patrol boat. As a result of the collision, the migrant boat capsized, and all its occupants fell into the water.
Following the incident, a large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately launched, involving patrol ships, civilian vessels with divers, and helicopters from the air. Twenty-five migrants, including men, women, and minors, were rescued from the water, injured, and taken to the island hospital for medical treatment. One of the injured women later died.
During the searches, 14 additional bodies were located and pulled from the sea, bringing the total death toll to 15. Two members of the patrol boat crew were also injured and taken to the hospital.
The Chios port authorities are conducting an investigation, and the search for possible missing persons continues. The Greek Coast Guard said it will issue further updates as developments occur.
At the end of January, three people lost their lives in a fire that broke out at a factory in the city of Trikala in central Greece.