Egypt has confirmed that 18 of its citizens remain missing after a migrant boat capsized off the Greek island of Crete last week, leaving at least four people dead.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said 21 Egyptians were among the 50 migrants on board the wooden vessel, which also carried four minors. So far, three Egyptian nationals have been confirmed dead, while the fate of the remaining 18 is still unknown.
Greek authorities said the incident occurred late Friday after the coast guard was alerted and directed a commercial ship to carry out a rescue operation. According to Greece’s public broadcaster, ERT, the accident happened when migrants attempted to climb aboard the rescue vessel using ladders. A sudden shift in movement caused the overcrowded wooden boat to overturn.
The Greek coast guard also recovered the body of a 28-year-old Sudanese woman, bringing the total confirmed death toll to four.
At least 20 migrants were successfully rescued by the commercial vessel, while search efforts continue for those still missing.
Authorities in Greece have arrested two Sudanese nationals suspected of involvement in human smuggling. The suspects are expected to appear before a judge as investigations into the incident continue.
Officials believe the migrant boat departed from Libya, a common departure point for migrants attempting the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Crete has increasingly become a key entry route into the European Union.
Egyptian authorities noted that more than 17,000 Egyptians reached Europe via the Mediterranean last year, making them the largest African group and the second-largest globally among irregular migrants.
Many migrants originate from economically disadvantaged communities in Egypt’s Nile Delta and travel through Libya, where they are often exposed to detention, abuse, forced labour, and extortion by traffickers.
The Egyptian government has urged its citizens to avoid illegal migration routes and warned against falling victim to smuggling networks. It also said efforts were ongoing to repatriate the bodies of those who died in the tragedy.
