CAIRO / ATHENS: At least 14 Egyptian nationals have died after an irregular migration boat sank near the port of the Greek island of Crete, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry said it was following developments related to the sinking of a boat that departed from one of Egypt’s neighbouring countries and was heading towards Greece on December 7, 2025. The vessel was carrying 34 irregular migrants of different nationalities.
The ministry confirmed that 14 of those who lost their lives were Egyptian citizens. It said Egyptian authorities were in close and swift contact with Greek officials to provide assistance to those rescued and to expedite the repatriation of the bodies of the victims, reports Anadolu News Agency.
Describing the incident as tragic, the Foreign Ministry urged Egyptian citizens not to fall victim to irregular migration networks, warning that such journeys pose serious risks to life and often end in fatal outcomes.
Irregular migrants have increasingly used Libya and other neighbouring countries as transit routes to reach Crete, which has emerged as a gateway into the European Union. In early July, Greece suspended the processing of asylum applications for people arriving in Crete from Libya.
Egyptian authorities say no irregular migration boats have departed directly from Egypt towards Europe since 2016, with most Egyptian migrants instead travelling through Libya in an attempt to reach European shores.
