The bodies of 12 irregular migrants have been discovered aboard a boat off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete.
Sea-news.az reports that citing Greek media references to the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The discovery was made approximately 15 nautical miles southeast of the village of Kali Limenes after a Moroccan-flagged container vessel spotted the migrant boat and alerted maritime authorities.
The Coast Guard rescued 18 survivors and transported them alongside the bodies of the 12 deceased individuals to the port of Agia Galini.
Reports indicate that the exact cause and circumstances of the deaths remain unknown. The tragic incident comes amid an surge in migrant arrivals from North Africa toward Crete, which has increasingly become a primary transit route into Europe.
Additionally, a total of 105 migrants were rescued during three separate maritime operations conducted off the southern coast of the island.
