Greek coastguard rescues 18 Sudanese nationals, including a toddler, after a migrant vessel spotted by a container ship sinks off southern Crete.

Published 9 Nov 2026, 21:04 GMT

2 min read

A Hellenic Coast Guard patrol vessel at port in Greece — Hellenic Coast Guard vessel (file photo)

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At least 13 people have died and 18 Sudanese nationals have been rescued after a migrant boat sank in strong winds off the Greek island of Crete on Monday, the Hellenic Coast Guard said.

A Moroccan-flagged container ship spotted the stricken vessel about 15 nautical miles (28 kilometres) off the southern port of Kaloi Limenes, prompting a rescue operation that left the two-day death toll off Crete above 21 following a separate shipwreck over the weekend.

Four of Monday's 18 survivors, including a toddler, were taken to hospital, where medical officials later reported that one of the evacuated passengers had died.

Greek authorities said the cause of the deaths remained under investigation, though survivors had spent days at sea battling high winds, with a coastguard official telling Reuters that those pulled from the vessel were "shivering from the cold".

The Hellenic Coast Guard rescued another 187 people in three separate operations off the Greek coast on Monday.

United Nations data show more than 37,000 migrants have reached Greece by sea so far in 2026 — already exceeding the total for the whole of 2025 — prompting Athens to plan a temporary reception centre near Crete's capital, Heraklion, as European states tighten asylum and settlement rules.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

Thirteen migrants die as boat carrying Sudanese nationals sinks off Greece&#39;s Crete

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Thirteen migrants die as boat carrying Sudanese nationals sinks off Greece's Crete

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