Newsflash from Thursday, 13 November 2025: Search for survivors of the boat accident off Gavdos and at least 42 presumed dead after a migrant boat sank off Libya.
A large-scale rescue operation is ongoing south of Crete after a migrant boat capsized near the island of Gavdos, leaving at least three people dead and 13 others missing, according to Greek authorities.
The Hellenic Coast Guard, assisted by Air Force helicopters, navy vessels, and local fishing boats, has been scouring the area since early Wednesday. So far, 56 survivors have been rescued from the rough seas, but hopes are fading for those still unaccounted for.
Witnesses reported that the wooden vessel, believed to have departed from the Libyan coast, began taking on water late Tuesday night before capsizing in strong winds. A video circulating on social media shows the boat moments before it overturned, highlighting the perilous conditions migrants face on the Mediterranean route.
According to reports from Greek City Times and InfoMigrants, the victims include a man, a woman, and a child. The survivors, many showing signs of hypothermia and exhaustion, were transported to Chania, Crete, for medical care and identification procedures.
Authorities fear that Gavdos — Greece’s southernmost island — may become a new hotspot for irregular migration, similar to Italy’s Lampedusa, as smugglers increasingly shift routes to avoid intensified patrols in the central Mediterranean.
Local residents have expressed both compassion and concern, as the small island struggles to manage the influx of arrivals. “We do what we can, but the situation is overwhelming,” one resident told local media.
The search for the 13 missing persons continues under challenging weather conditions, with strong winds and rough seas hampering visibility. Greek officials have not ruled out the possibility that more people were aboard the vessel.
The tragedy once again underscores the deadly risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe and the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian and policy responses across the region.
Tragedy off Libya: 42 Migrants Presumed Dead After Boat Sinks off Libyan Coast
At least 42 migrants are presumed dead after a rubber boat capsized off the coast of Tobruk, eastern Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Only seven survivors were rescued after drifting at sea for nearly six days, highlighting yet another devastating chapter in the ongoing Mediterranean migration crisis.
The ill-fated vessel departed from Zuwara, Libya, on November 3, carrying 49 people — 47 men and 2 women — from Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Somalia, the IOM confirmed. Shortly after departure, the boat’s engine failed amid worsening weather conditions, causing it to overturn and throw all passengers into the sea.
Libyan authorities launched a search and rescue operation on November 8, but by then, most of the passengers were already missing. The seven survivors were found exhausted and dehydrated after spending days adrift without food or water.
“This latest tragedy underscores the extreme dangers faced by migrants and refugees attempting to cross the central Mediterranean,” the IOM said in a statement.
The Central Mediterranean route remains one of the world’s deadliest migration paths. According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,000 people have already lost their lives on this route since the beginning of 2025.
This incident follows a series of similar shipwrecks off Lampedusa in Italy and Sorman in western Libya in recent weeks, reflecting the growing desperation among those fleeing conflict, poverty, and instability in sub-Saharan Africa.
Humanitarian organizations continue to call for stronger international cooperation and safe migration alternatives to prevent further loss of life.
Source: CretaLive
