Europe14 September, 20262 min read
Greek Coast Guard Says Migrant Boat Partially Sank Near Gavdos, One Dead, 25 Missing
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
One dead, 25 missing after a migrant boat partially sank near Gavdos, Crete. 51 people rescued by two nearby vessels; coast guard coordinating search.
7 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Azerbaijan Bars Hijab in Schools, Sparking Protests in Baku and Arrests →
Boat Sinks Off Gavdos
A boat carrying migrants partially sank south of the Greek island of Gavdos on Sunday, and the Greek Coast Guard said one person died and about 25 people went missing. The Coast Guard said 51 foreign nationals were picked up by nearby vessels, while one foreign national was found unconscious, as search efforts continued for the approximately 25 missing people.
Survivors reported there were 77 people on board when the boat went down near Gavdos, and Al Jazeera said the incident was reported by the country’s coastguard. The rescue operation involved four ships and two European Union border agency Frontex boats, with another Coast Guard vessel, a Frontex ship, and a helicopter also heading to the scene, according to The Hindu.
Rescue Details and Procedures
A coastguard spokesman told Al Jazeera that "Fifty-one were picked up by two boats that were in the area," as search and rescue efforts were ongoing. Al Jazeera reported that the 51 rescued people were due to be brought to Crete, "where the prescribed procedures will be followed," and it described how undocumented migrants generally face immediate arrest and temporary confinement.
The Hindu said the coast guard reported one person died and about 25 people went missing after the sinking on Sunday (September 13, 2026), and it placed the incident in the Athens dateline. The Al Jazeera account added that strong winds were hampering the search operation, while ERT News reported the ongoing deployment of four ships, boats, Frontex aircraft and a coastguard helicopter in the area.
Europe Policy Stakes
The incident unfolded as Greece’s immigration policy tightened, with the Saudi Gazette saying Greece’s immigration minister Thanos Plevris pushed a strict policy on arrivals and that Greece was in discussions with Germany and several other EU countries on setting up “return hubs” outside the bloc. Al Jazeera reported that Greece’s conservative government in July suspended all asylum claims for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months, and it said the ban passed in parliament amid a surge in asylum seekers reaching Crete.
Al Jazeera also said the government remained at odds with regional authorities in Crete over a plan to build a permanent transit facility on the island, and it described draft legislation that would mandate imprisonment for people whose asylum claims are denied. In the background of the same policy environment, the Saudi Gazette cited ANA figures from the immigration ministry saying migrant arrivals in Greece fell from about 61,000 in the year to August 2025 to 42,000 in the following 12 months, a decline of around 31 percent.