Serious incident in Chios between the Hellenic Coast Guard and migrant smugglers, reports of dead and injured

A serious incident occurred on Tuesday night between the crew of a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol vessel and migrant smugglers who were transporting people by dinghy toward the coast of Chios. According to information so far, there are reports of 5–7 migrant fatalities, as well as several injured. A search and rescue operation is currently underway. Among the injured are two Coast Guard officers, one man and one woman, who are not in serious danger.

According to initial reports, the Coast Guard patrol vessel from Oinousses detected the dinghy carrying migrants and signaled for it to turn back. The smugglers moved toward the Coast Guard vessel and a collision occurred, with people falling into the sea near the Mersinidi area. So far, there is no clear picture, while there are also reports of an exchange of gunfire, which have not been confirmed.

As has become known so far, approximately 35 people were on board the migrants’ dinghy, many of whom ended up in the sea, with several sustaining injuries.

According to politischios.gr, Coast Guard vessels are continuously disembarking injured individuals at the port of Chios, where EKAB ambulances have been mobilized for their rapid transfer to the Skilitsio Hospital of Chios.

Operation with helicopter support

The Hellenic Coast Guard forces, in cooperation with the Hellenic Air Force, have already launched a search and rescue operation, as there are reports of missing persons. A Super Puma helicopter is also participating in the operation, conducting flights over the incident area using thermal cameras to locate any potential survivors at sea.

The site of the incident remains under strict control, while Coast Guard units from neighboring islands and the Intelligence Service of the Ministry of Shipping have also been mobilized, aiming to investigate the circumstances of the incident and identify those involved.

As of late in the evening, there had been no official update on the condition of the injured; however, eyewitnesses report “multiple seriously injured” among those aboard the migrants’ vessel.