One woman has been confirmed dead in yet another shipwreck in the Aegean Sea, as this year's winter period remains atypically overactive in the smuggling of migrants in the region. An Afghan national suspected of smuggling has been arrested in Samos in connection with the incident.
Following the rescue of hundreds of migrants off the island of Crete and elsewhere in the Aegean Sea during the height of the Christmas holiday season, the Greek Coast Guard reported another fatality yesterday.
On their website, the coast guard said that the Samos Port Authority had been informed of an inflatable boat in distress, which had run aground on the coast of Samos -- an island that sits in the Aegean Sea just off the coast of Turkey.
Greek authorities and Frontex security forces launched a search and rescue mission which resulted in an estimated 39 passengers being assisted.
The remains of a female passenger were located near the inflatable boat, which was described as in a "semi-sunken" state. The woman's remains were transferred to the General Hospital of Samos for an autopsy.
An investigation by Samos Port Authority showed that there were no further missing persons.
Meanwhile, a 25-year-old Afghan national was confirmed to have been arrested on charges of "illegal transport of third-country nationals" and "illegal entry into Greece" in connection with the incident.
The other passengers had reportedly identified the suspect as the smuggler who had arranged for their transport to Greece.
It is unclear yet if his actions may directly have resulted in the death of the woman, and whether he may face charges for that.
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Hundreds rescued during the Christmas period
The onset of the Christmas season saw hundreds of people rescued in a series of operations off Crete and in the Aegean Sea.
On Christmas Day, 39 migrants were rescued from an inflatable boat off southern Crete and were then taken to the village of Kaloi Limenes for processing and emergency accommodation.
On December 26, nearly 400 people were rescued in operations involving fishing boats and patrol vessels from the Greek coast guard, and the EU border agency Frontex.
The following day, Greek maritime forces rescued another 131 people from a fishing boat located about 25 kilometres south of the small island of Gavdos near Crete.
The Greek islands, which include Samos, Lesbos and Kos near Turkey, are key entry points for people trying to reach Europe to lodge asylum claims. Crete, which is located much further southwest, has also become a prime destination, with most people reaching the southern Greek island typically departing from north African coast.
These journeys involves crossing the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea, typically on overcrowded inflatable or wooden boats, which are not designed to be seaworthy.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that approximately 1,400 people have died in 2025 while attempting to reach Europe, navigating the Mediterranean migration routes.
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Gateway to Europe
Greece, with its geographic proximity to Libya and Turkey, is trying to fend off its reputation as a popular entry point for irregular arrivals into Europe by cooperating closely with the EU and also directly with partners in north Africa.
However, Greece's activities at sea have repeatedly been flagged as being in violation of both European and international law.
Last year, the European Court of Human Rights issued a landmark decision and ordered Greece to pay 41,500 euros in compensation for violating the human rights of seven unaccompanied migrant minors in Samos in 2020.
The island of Samos has repeatedly made headlines in recent, second perhaps only to Crete, as the major migrant reception center there has repeatedly suffered overcrowding, as reported by human rights watchdog, Amnesty International.