The Greek coastguard launched a major search operation on Thursday for a young boy reported missing after they rescued dozens of migrants in two separate incidents in the Aegean Sea. The operations highlight the ongoing and dangerous journeys undertaken by asylum seekers trying to reach European Union shores.
Search Intensifies Near Farmakonisi Island
According to reports from the ANA news agency, the coastguard located 13 migrants who had arrived on the small, uninhabited island of Farmakonisi. However, upon their discovery, it was reported that one boy from the group was missing. Two coastguard vessels and an air force helicopter were immediately deployed to scour the waters off Farmakonisi, which lies opposite the Turkish coast.
Second Rescue Operation Off Crete
In a separate incident on the same day, Greek authorities found another 39 migrants aboard an inflatable boat off the southern island of Crete. This group was safely taken to the village of Kaloi Limenes on Crete. No details regarding the nationalities of those rescued in either operation were immediately released by officials.
A Perilous Journey to the EU
These latest incidents underscore the extreme risks migrants face. Many attempt to reach Greek islands from Turkey or Libya as a gateway into the European Union. Both crossings are known to be perilous, often undertaken in overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
The danger was tragically illustrated earlier this month when 17 people were found dead on a migrant boat drifting off Crete. Another 15 individuals from that vessel were reported missing. That boat had embarked from the Libyan port of Tobruk, with most of the deceased identified as being from Sudan or Egypt.
The scale of arrivals is significant. The UN refugee agency has reported that more than 16,770 asylum seekers in the EU have arrived on Crete since the start of the year — a number higher than any other island in the Aegean Sea. This statistic points to Crete's emergence as a major entry point amid shifting migration routes.
As the search for the missing child continues, these events serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the migration crisis and the continuous challenges faced by both those seeking refuge and the authorities responding to emergencies at sea.
