Boat sinking near Crete kills dozens of Egyptian migrants

(MENAFN) At least 14 Egyptian nationals died when a boat carrying irregular migrants sank near the port of the Greek island of Crete, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry reported on Tuesday.

The ministry stated that it is closely monitoring the incident involving a boat that departed on December 7, 2025, from a neighboring country of Egypt en route to Greece. The vessel was carrying 34 irregular migrants of various nationalities, including the 14 Egyptians who lost their lives.

The ministry noted that it is coordinating closely with Greek authorities to provide assistance to survivors and to expedite the repatriation of the victims’ bodies.

Describing the event as “tragic,” the ministry urged Egyptian citizens “not to be drawn into the clutches of irregular migration networks,” warning that such actions endanger lives and can lead to similar heartbreaking outcomes.

Irregular migrants frequently use Libya and other nearby countries as departure points for Crete, a common entryway into the European Union. In early July, the Greek government suspended asylum applications, particularly for arrivals from Libya to Crete.

Egypt has asserted that it has prevented any irregular migration departures toward Europe since 2016, with Egyptian migrants typically relying on Libya as a transit route.

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