Twelve migrants, including an infant, were killed in two separate boat accidents in the Aegean Sea overnight, the Greek Coast Guard said.

In the first incident, six people — four men, a woman and an infant — died off the coast of Lesbos when a speedboat carrying migrants collided with the port side of a police patrol vessel, according to the Coast Guard.

Eight people were rescued from the incident. Authorities arrested a 37-year-old Turkish national among the survivors, suspecting him of people smuggling and identifying him as the speedboat’s operator.

In a separate incident off the island of Samos, six people — five men and a woman — drowned after their boat capsized. Fourteen people were rescued, while search-and-rescue operations remained underway in the area.

Greece’s Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, blamed human traffickers for the deaths and reiterated the government’s hard-line stance against smuggling.

“Our position is non-negotiable: Zero tolerance for smugglers,” he wrote on X.

Greece is a major entry point into Europe for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, many of whom attempt the dangerous sea crossing from Türkiye.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Greece had recorded around 25,000 migrant and refugee arrivals by Oct. 11, 2026, compared with approximately 42,000 during 2025.

During the 2015-2016 migration crisis, nearly one million migrants and refugees reached Greek shores, many travelling from Türkiye.

The latest incidents highlight the continuing dangers faced by people attempting to reach Europe by sea. (ILKHA)