Ierapetra experienced a difficult night, with the local community in turmoil following news of the shipwreck that claimed 18 migrants. The Mayor, Manolis Fragkoulis, speaking from Ierapetra’s fishing shelter, visibly shaken, described the scenes that rescue crews encountered, calling it a “very difficult and sad evening” as the bodies of 18 young people were brought to shore.
According to the Mayor’s description to radiolasithi.gr and as reported by flashnews.gr, the scene that coast guard officers faced approximately 26 nautical miles southwest of Ierapetra was nightmarish. The dinghy wasn’t simply adrift; it was half-sunk, with one of its air chambers torn and deflated. The 18 dead were found literally in the water that had flooded the boat, “dead, half-naked and frozen,” as he characteristically stated, indicating they had remained helpless in this condition for hours.
Read: Tragedy in Crete: Inflatable boat carrying migrants sunk – 18 dead and two survivors (Video & Image)
Migrant shipwreck in Crete: Missing engine adds to the mystery
The tragic nature of the scene culminates in the image of the two sole survivors. The two men were found clinging to the bow of the boat – possibly the only part still above water – trying to stay alive next to their dead companions. They were the ones who confirmed to authorities that 20 people were aboard the vessel, essentially ruling out the possibility of missing persons at sea.
Another element that adds to the mystery and horror of the case is the absence of an engine. As the Mayor of Ierapetra pointed out, the boat was found without propulsion, raising questions about whether the engine broke down and detached or if smugglers abandoned them helplessly at the mercy of bad weather. The vessel was initially spotted by a passing merchant ship, which however, due to rough seas, was unable to approach for rescue, alerting the Coast Guard vessel based in Ierapetra.
The bodies, after being recovered, were transported by refrigerated truck to the general hospital for autopsy and identification.
What authorities are investigating about the shipwreck
It should be noted that, according to ERT’s report, the two survivors, aged 16 and 20, are hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinic of Ierapetra Hospital. According to medical information, they have recovered consciousness, are in stable condition and are communicating with doctors, while they are expected to provide significant details about the circumstances of the shipwreck.
According to ERT, coast guard authorities are examining the possibility that the dinghy was one of seven boats that had been spotted recently moving towards Crete. However, in the other cases, the passengers had been found in good health.
Timeline of the tragedy
It should be recalled that, according to parapolitika.gr’s report, the shipwreck occurred 26 miles south of Chrysi, when an inflatable dinghy carrying migrants sank in particularly adverse weather conditions.
The vessel was spotted half-submerged by a passing ship flying the Turkish flag, which immediately informed the operations center of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, triggering a major search and rescue operation.
Coast Guard vessels from Crete rushed to the scene, however strong winds and rough seas hampered the operation. Meanwhile, the dinghy had already sunk, dragging 18 of its passengers to the bottom.
With information from Flashnews.gr, radiolasithi, ERT
