At least 21 migrants and refugees die trying to reach Greece’s Crete

What the report says

Greek authorities said at least 21 migrants and refugees died in separate incidents while trying to reach the island of Crete, one of the main Mediterranean entry points into the European Union. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the Greek coastguard recovered 12 bodies and rescued 18 people from one boat south of Crete after it was spotted by a Morocco-flagged container ship early Monday. One of the survivors later died in hospital.

In another case, the coastguard said it found eight more bodies and rescued 28 people from a different boat off southern Crete on Saturday evening. Two people were still missing, and officials said two additional boats carrying dozens more people were later located south of the island. The European Union border agency Frontex helped identify the boats using an aircraft and drone, and survivors were brought to ports on Crete.

The article said it was not immediately clear what caused the deaths, though Greek officials suggested the first boat may have been stranded for days in strong winds while attempting to reach shore. Crete has seen increased migratory arrivals from regions including the Middle East, Africa and Asia, reflecting wider pressure on sea routes toward Europe, even as Frontex says irregular crossings into the EU have declined this year.