At least 15 people have died after a vessel carrying migrants and refugees collided with a patrol boat of the Hellenic Coast Guard off the coast of eastern Chios late on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred at around 9pm in the sea area off Mersinidi, near Vrontados, under circumstances still under investigation.
According to information reported by AMNA, 14 bodies were recovered from the sea, 11 men and three women, while a fourth woman died later in Chios General Hospital, where she had been transferred with severe head injuries. A further 24 people were taken to the hospital and remain under medical care, including seven men, six women and 11 children. Three of the injured required emergency surgery after sustaining life-threatening injuries. Two pregnant women are also due to undergo surgery after doctors confirmed that their foetuses had died.
Two Coast Guard officers who were aboard the patrol vessel were lightly injured in the collision and were treated at Chios General Hospital. One suffered an injury to his upper limb, while the other sustained a mild concussion. Both are reported to be in stable condition.
Search and rescue operations continued throughout the night and are expected to intensify with first light, as authorities fear there may be additional people missing. The exact number of those aboard the migrants’ vessel remains unclear.
According to a senior official cited by Kathimerini, the incident followed a pursuit after a high-powered speedboat, believed to be operated by smugglers and carrying approximately thirty people, was detected attempting to reach the Mersinidi area to disembark passengers. Coast Guard officers report that the two vessels collided during the chase. Earlier reports suggesting an exchange of gunfire have been firmly denied by the authorities.
