ATHENS — Greek authorities rescued 18 migrants and retrieved the bodies of two individuals, one woman and one man, off the coast of the island of Lesbos on Wednesday, January 10, the Greek coastguard reported.
The migrants, caught in high winds while crossing the Aegean Sea, are believed to have arrived on the island by boat. According to one coastguard official, around 36 people were aboard, with some reportedly jumping into the sea.
Coastguards and police were actively searching the area for additional individuals, the coastguard stated.
Greece experienced a significant migrant crisis in 2015, seeing an influx of over 1 million people, predominantly Syrian refugees, arriving from Turkey by sea. While the number of migrants decreased markedly in subsequent years, 2023 has seen a rise in migrant arrivals once again.
