Video: Greek Ferry Rescues 75 Migrants From Distressed Sailboat Off Karpathos

A Greek ferry came to the rescue of 75 people early Sunday morning, June 1, after their sailboat sent a distress signal southeast of Karpathos in the Aegean Sea, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The group is believed to be migrants, but officials have not yet confirmed their nationalities or where they were heading.

The incident took place about 14.4 nautical miles off the southeastern coast of Karpathos. Greece’s Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Center (EKSED) led the emergency response.

A nearby passenger ferry, Blue Star Xios, was asked to assist and quickly changed its route to respond to the emergency. A rescue vessel from the Hellenic Coast Guard was also sent to help with the operation.

Passengers on the ferry, which was on its usual inter-island route, were among the first to notice something unusual. Some of the 200 people onboard posted videos online showing the sailboat packed with people approaching the ferry. They also reported that the ferry had stopped and lowered a small boat, possibly to help in the search for those in distress.

Reports said that the weather conditions during the rescue were moderate, with winds blowing from the west-northwest at a speed of around 20 knots, which is considered a fresh breeze or about 5 on the Beaufort scale.

The Blue Star Xios is a RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) ferry built in 2007. It is 141 meters (462 feet) long and has a gross tonnage of 14,000. The ferry mainly carries up to 1,700 passengers in seated areas and also has garage space for vehicles. The crew of the ferry safely brought all 75 people onboard from the overcrowded sailboat.

Video Credits: Καρπαθιακά Νέα/Facebook

The rescued individuals are expected to go through standard health checks and identification procedures. So far, no further information has been released about their background or destination.

Last week, 17 members of the Hellenic Coast Guard were officially charged over a deadly incident in 2023, where an overloaded boat carrying migrants overturned.

In that case, around 100 people survived, but 72 bodies were recovered. Survivors alleged that a patrol vessel may have contributed to the disaster, and it was claimed that several hundred more people were lost when the boat went down.

Greece and Turkey have long been at odds over the handling of migrant flows. Turkish officials have accused Greece of pushing migrants back into dangerous waters.

Meanwhile, international organizations have criticised how rescue operations in the Eastern Mediterranean are managed and have called for better coordination and reforms to protect those attempting these risky journeys.

References: tovima, greekcitytimes

Source: Maritime Shipping News