Twelve Migrants Die in Two Aegean Incidents off Greek Islands

Twelve migrants died in two separate incidents in the Aegean Sea, Greek authorities reported on October 19. The incidents happened off Lesbos and Samos, according to Arab News.

The crossings form part of a route into Europe through Greece. The Independent described Greece as a longstanding gateway for migrants and refugees from the Middle East.

Reports published on October 19 described a collision near Lesbos and a capsizing near Samos. The supplied coverage does not establish which happened first.

Near Lesbos, a migrant boat collided with a vessel described by Arab News as a police vessel. TGcom24 identified it as a coast guard ship. Six migrants died in the collision, including an infant, according to The Independent.

The other boat capsized near Samos, Arab News reported. Greek authorities put the combined death toll from the two incidents at 12.

Twenty-two people survived, according to Le Monde. The supplied reports do not give a breakdown of survivors by incident.

A rescue operation for a sunken boat off Lesbos was still under way, DIE ZEIT reported, citing the coast guard. The coverage does not establish how many people, if any, remained missing.

The deaths add to a wider toll across Mediterranean migration routes. At least 1,209 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, Euronews reported, citing the International Organisation for Migration. That figure covers the Mediterranean, not just the Aegean.

The immediate outstanding issue is the outcome of the rescue operation off Lesbos reported by DIE ZEIT. The supplied coverage leaves the number of people aboard each boat and the circumstances leading to the collision and capsizing unclear.