8 Refugees, including 6 children, drown near Greece’s Samos Island

The Greek Coast Guard has reported that eight refugees, including six children and two women, have drowned after a boat sank near the island of “Samos.”

International media outlets, citing the Greek Coast Guard on Monday, November 25, reported that 36 survivors from the boat were rescued.

The report indicated that strong winds have hindered the search operations for potential additional survivors.

It is still unclear how many people were on board the boat at the time of the sinking.

The island of Samos, located near Turkey, is one of the key entry points to the European Union.

Meanwhile, the number of illegal migrants arriving from Samos has increased in recent months.

Previously, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had stated that in 2024, Afghan refugees would make up the second-largest group of asylum seekers after Syrians.

According to the UN, in 2024, a total of 28,352 refugees arrived in Greece by sea, with 25% of them coming from Afghanistan.

The growing number of Afghan refugees making the perilous journey to Europe highlights the ongoing crisis and instability in Afghanistan, which continues to push people to seek safety elsewhere.

The tragic deaths near Samos are a stark reminder of the dangerous routes many migrants are forced to take in search of refuge.

In light of these ongoing tragedies, there is an urgent need for international cooperation and action to ensure the protection and safety of refugees, address the root causes of forced migration, and improve the asylum process to prevent such loss of life.

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