At least eight migrants drown after boat collision off Greece’s coast
Al Jazeera
Authorities say at least eight people died after the driver lost control of the boat as he attempted to flee.
At least eight refugees and migrants have drowned off the coast of Greece after the coastguard chased a boat they were on in the Aegean Sea.
The speedboat capsized near the island of Rhodes as it attempted to flee a Greek patrol vessel, authorities said on Friday, adding that 18 people were rescued.
A coastguard statement said the driver “lost control” of the boat, causing several passengers to fall overboard.
Coastguard vessels retrieved eight bodies as a helicopter from the Hellenic Air Force searched for survivors. It remains unclear how many people were on board.
Greek authorities said they detected the vessel as it attempted to disembark people near Afandou Beach, on the eastern coast of the Greek island of Rhodes.
