12 migrants found dead in boat off Greece's Crete as hundreds arrive from Libya

The incident comes amid a sharp increase in migrant arrivals on the island from Libya (Representative image: Reuters).

Greek authorities recovered 12 bodies from a boat carrying migrants off the southern coast of Crete on Monday, while a passing cargo ship rescued 18 survivors from the same vessel, the coast guard said.The boat was located about 15 nautical miles (28 km) south of Crete early on Monday. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of those who died or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.Two other boats carrying 47 and 40 people were also spotted sailing south of the island. All the rescued migrants were being taken to a port on Crete's southern coast, the Associated Press reported.The incident comes amid a sharp increase in migrant arrivals on the island from Libya, prompting Greece to prepare for a possible migration crisis.

Greece prepares for migration crisis on Crete

Migration and asylum minister Thanos Plevris said 1,700 people had arrived from Libya in the first three days of November. He attributed the increase to a breakdown in cooperation with Libyan authorities and linked it to the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, according to eKathimerini."We are preparing for a crisis on Crete," Plevris said. A reception facility at Athanati is expected to open next week.The increase in arrivals on Crete comes despite a broader decline in irregular migration to Greece and across the European Union, according to the European Commission's second annual report, presented on Thursday.

Between July 2025 and June 2026, irregular crossings into Greece fell 23 per cent, while asylum applications declined 19 per cent. However, Greece continued to face the EU's highest proportional pressure on both measures when assessed against population and gross domestic product.Arrivals on Crete increased 105 per cent to around 21,000, while crossings along Greece's land border with Turkey rose 33 per cent.

Across the Eastern Mediterranean route, irregular crossings fell about 25 per cent to 49,136. The EU-wide figure declined 32 per cent to 151,877, eKathimerini reported.Greece accounted for 25 per cent of disembarkations following search-and-rescue operations across the bloc, compared with 42 per cent for Italy. A European official said Greece continued to face disproportionate pressure and qualified for EU assistance in 2027.