14 Migrants Die in Collision with Greek Coastguard off Chios

At least 14 people died when a speedboat carrying migrants collided with a Greek coastguard patrol vessel off the eastern Aegean island of Chios on Tuesday evening, authorities reported, as a search and rescue operation continued for potentially missing passengers.

The incident occurred around 9 p.m. local time near the Mersinidi area of Chios, close to the Turkish coast. The coastguard stated that the patrol vessel had issued a warning signal upon spotting the migrant boat, which then attempted to speed away, leading to the collision. An unnamed coastguard official described the event as resulting from the migrant boat maneuvering toward the patrol vessel after it was instructed to turn back. Two coastguard officers were injured in the crash and taken to a hospital on Chios for treatment.

Rescue teams recovered 14 bodies from the sea, including 11 men and three women, according to the coastguard. One injured woman who survived the initial collision later died in hospital, raising the confirmed death toll to 15 in some accounts. Emergency services saved 25 migrants, among them 11 children, and transported them to the Chios hospital. Greek media reported that seven children and a...