At least four migrants have died after a small boat capsized off the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday, according to the Greek Coast Guard.
The latest tragedy brings the number of people who have lost their lives in migrant boat accidents on the Greek side of the Aegean Sea this month to 10.
A coastguard spokesperson told AFP that seven survivors were rescued from the wreck, which overturned amid strong winds in the Aegean. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Lesbos and nearby islands such as Chios, Kos, Leros, and Samos remain key entry points for migrants and asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe from Turkey, often in overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
Just last week, the bodies of two women were recovered from the coast of Chios after a similar tragedy involving at least 29 migrants. Earlier this month, on October 7, four more people drowned off Lesbos.
On Friday, a separate incident off Bodrum, a Turkish resort town located barely five kilometres from the Greek island of Kos, claimed 17 lives.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that nearly 1,400 migrants have died so far this year while attempting to reach Europe through various Mediterranean routes — a stark reminder of the perilous journeys undertaken by those fleeing conflict, poverty, and persecution.
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