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Fatal collision off Chios leaves 15 migrants dead
Fifteen Afghan and Moroccan migrants drowned after their speedboat collided with a Greek coastguard vessel near the Chios Strait late Tuesday, authorities said. Another 24 survivors were rescued, but the incident has reignited concerns over Greece's handling of migrant crossings.
Greek authorities blame smugglers
A coastguard statement accused smugglers of ignoring visual and audible signals to halt, claiming the migrant boat made "dangerous manoeuvres" before crashing into the patrol vessel. The account framed the tragedy as unavoidable, with no mention of alternative explanations.
Past controversies cast doubt on official narrative
Skepticism surrounds the Greek coastguard's version of events, echoing the 2023 Adriana disaster, where over 650 migrants drowned. Survivors later alleged the coastguard caused the capsizing during a failed towing attempt. Four senior coastguard officials, including the current commander, now face criminal charges for negligent manslaughter in that case.
In Tuesday's incident, no survivor testimonies or independent evidence-such as video footage-have emerged to corroborate the coastguard's claim that the migrant boat deliberately rammed the patrol vessel. Questions persist over whether the coastguard recorded the encounter, as occurred in 2023 when cameras on the patrol ship were reportedly deactivated.
Missing evidence and confiscated phones
Mobile phones belonging to migrants and coastguard personnel could provide critical evidence, but their whereabouts remain unknown. In the Adriana case, 20 migrants' phones vanished for 25 days before being found on a coastguard vessel, 60 nautical miles from the disaster site. Greek authorities routinely confiscate migrants' devices during investigations, complicating efforts to verify official accounts.
Political fallout and human rights concerns
Greece's conservative government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has adopted a hardline stance on migration, a policy that resonated with voters in the 2023 election. However, human rights groups accuse the coastguard of illegal pushbacks and dangerous tactics at sea. The EU border agency is reviewing 12 cases of alleged violations by Greece, including reports of migrants being forcibly returned.
"Another Coast Guard deterrence operation, with specific political instructions from the government, which in the name of the 'tough' anti-immigration policy has turned Greek waters into a cemetery."
Gabriel Sakellaridis, Nea Aristera party
Immigration Minister Thanos Plevris defended the coastguard on Wednesday, praising their actions and dismissing criticism from activists as hollow. Meanwhile, the UNHCR reported 41,696 sea arrivals in Greece in 2025-a decline from 54,417 in 2024-with 107 deaths or disappearances recorded last year alone.
Unanswered questions linger
As details remain scarce, parallels to past tragedies raise doubts about the transparency of the investigation. With no independent witnesses or verifiable evidence, the full truth of Tuesday's collision may never emerge, leaving families of the dead and survivors in limbo.
