A search and rescue operation is underway off the southern coast of Crete after a boat carrying migrants sank near the island of Chrysi, south of Ierapetra.
The operation began after a migrant found on Chrysi reported that the vessel carrying him and other foreign nationals had sunk in the area around midday on Tuesday, November 3.
The number of people believed to have been aboard remains unknown, raising concerns that others may be missing.
Two Hellenic Coast Guard vessels have been deployed to the area, alongside passing commercial ships and a Frontex aircraft, as authorities search for possible survivors.
Read more: Crete Migrant Rescues Reach 241 in Four Operations Off Ierapetra and Gavdos
The operation is being coordinated by Greece’s Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Centre.
Difficult weather conditions hamper search
Rescue efforts are being complicated by challenging weather conditions, with winds reaching force 5 to 6 on the Beaufort scale.
The strong winds are making operations more difficult as crews attempt to locate anyone who may have been on the boat.
As of Tuesday afternoon, at approximately 5.30pm local time, authorities had not provided further details about the number of passengers or whether additional survivors had been located.
The search operation remains focused on determining how many people were aboard and locating anyone who may still be missing.
Source: NewsFire.gr, citing information from the rescue operation.
SEO title: Migrant Boat Sinks Off Crete as Search and Rescue Begins
Meta description: A migrant boat has sunk near Chrysi, south of Ierapetra in Crete, prompting a search involving the Coast Guard, passing ships and a Frontex aircraft.
Focus keyphrase: migrant boat sinks off Crete
Slug: migrant-boat-sinks-chrysi-ierapetra-crete
Excerpt: A search and rescue operation is underway south of Ierapetra after a migrant boat sank near the island of Chrysi, with the number of people missing still unknown.
Tags: Crete, Ierapetra, Chrysi, Greece, Hellenic Coast Guard, Migrants, Search and Rescue, Frontex, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Migration
