As many as 17 people have been killed after a boat they were travelling on capsized in the Mediterranean Sea near the island of Crete, authorities in Greece said on Sunday. According to the Greek coastguard service, “Two survivors in critical condition have been shifted to the hospital.”
The survivors told the coastguard members that they had lost control of the vessel due to a severe storm, leaving those on board stranded at sea without access to food, water and shelter. Greek officials said that migrants had been dead for over a day before the Greek Coast Guard traced their bodies. The incident is believed to have taken place on Saturday.
As per Greek officials, the vessel was located 26 nautical miles (48 kilometres) southwest of Crete. The vessel was first detected by a Turkish cargo ship, which quickly alerted the Greek authorities. The mayor of the coastal city of Crete confirmed that "The vessel the migrants were on was deflated on two sides, which forced the passengers into a reduced space."
He said all the victims were young men and that authorities were trying to trace the boat's origin.
Meanwhile, health authorities in Crete suspect that dehydration was the primary cause of the death of the 17 people. Each year, hundreds of migrant boats from the war-torn, poor nations attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea for better life opportunities in the EU nations, and Greece remains one of the most important entry points for these migrants.
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