Video: Frontex Patrol Boat Sinks Off Lesvos During Rescue Mission

A European Union border patrol vessel sank off the coast of Lesvos, Greece, on July 14, after striking a rocky shoal during a migrant rescue operation, Greek authorities confirmed.

The Portuguese-flagged vessel, operated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), was involved in a joint search and rescue mission with Greek authorities when it hit underwater rocks in rough conditions near the island of Agios Georgios Petras.

All six crew members, including five Portuguese nationals and one Greek, were rescued safely. They were found on an inflatable life raft and taken aboard a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat. No injuries were reported.

The rescue mission had been launched earlier in the day after 36 migrants arrived in the Lapsarna area of Lesvos. According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the group had crossed from Çanakkale, Turkey, and reported that four fellow passengers went missing after their boat collided with a merchant ship in Turkish waters.

Video Credits: El Debate/YouTube

The migrants were taken to the Kara Tepe “Mavrovouni” reception center on Lesvos. Authorities immediately began searching for the four missing individuals using patrol vessels, a helicopter, and land units.

While assisting in the ongoing search, the Frontex vessel reportedly struck a rock, causing damage to its fiberglass hull. This led to flooding and ultimately to the vessel sinking.

Several vessels and aircraft responded to the scene, including a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat, a fishing vessel, two passenger-tourist boats, and a SUPER PUMA Air Force helicopter. The crew of the Frontex boat was quickly located and brought to the port of Mithymna.

The Central Port Authority of Mytilene, along with the Mithymna Port Station, has launched a preliminary investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.

Frontex has been actively supporting EU member states in securing the bloc’s external borders, especially in regions like the Aegean Sea, where migrant arrivals remain a concern.

Greece continues to serve as a major entry point for asylum seekers, with more than a million arrivals since 2015, most of them departing from Türkiye.

Reference: HCG

Source: Maritime Shipping News