17 Migrants Die in Boat Capsizing Off Crete

At least 17 migrants died when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete on Saturday, marking the deadliest such incident in the country in more than two years, according to Greek authorities.

The half-sunken vessel was spotted by the crew of a passing Turkish cargo ship approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of Crete, near the town of Ierapetra. Greek Coast Guard officials were alerted to the situation earlier in the day and launched an immediate search and rescue operation. Rescuers recovered the bodies of 17 people and brought two survivors to safety. An initial report from the Coast Guard mentioned 18 deaths, but a spokesperson from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs later corrected the figure to 17. The survivors told officials that no additional passengers were aboard, and the operation, which involved two Coast Guard vessels, a rescue helicopter, a Frontex ship and aircraft from the European Union's border agency, and three nearby merchant ships, concluded without finding others.

The cause of the sinking remains under investigation. Authorities have not determined the migrants' nationalities or the boat's origin, as...