At least 21 people lost their lives trying to reach the Greek island of Crete, local authorities said on Monday. The island has become a major entry point for refugees and migrants trying to enter Europe.
The Greek coastguard recovered 12 bodies and rescued 18 people from a single vessel. A Morocco-flagged container ship spotted the boat early on Monday south of the island.
Authorities transferred the survivors and the dead to the shore. One person taken to hospital later died.
Greek officials stated the exact cause of death was unclear, though the vessel may have been adrift at sea for days in strong winds.
In a separate operation on Saturday evening, the coastguard recovered eight bodies and rescued 28 refugees and migrants from another boat off southern Crete. Two individuals were reported missing after that incident.
The coastguard intercepted two other vessels south of the island. One boat carried about 47 people and the second transported roughly 40 passengers.
The European Union border agency Frontex deployed an aircraft and an unmanned drone to locate the boats. The agency then flew survivors to a port on the southern coast of Crete.
Crete serves as a primary transit hub for individuals escaping poverty and conflict across Africa, Asia and the Middle East to reach the European Union.
Frontex reported that overall irregular border crossings into the bloc decreased by a third this year.
The agency recorded about 31,800 crossings across the first three quarters of the year, a 15 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
