At Least 15 Killed After Speedboat Collides with Coast Guard Vessel

At least 15 people are dead after a speedboat carrying migrants collided with a Greek coast guard vessel off the eastern coast of Chios, authorities said.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Hellenic Coast Guard confirmed the crash occurred in the early hours of Tuesday in the Myrsinidio Sea. Officials said the speedboat was transporting foreign migrant passengers and traveling toward Chios without navigation lights.

According to the Coast Guard, a patrol vessel approached the speedboat and attempted to stop it using light and sound signals. The driver did not comply and instead abruptly reversed course, triggering a violent collision.

“The impact caused the speedboat to capsize and sink, throwing all passengers into the sea,” officials said.

Emergency crews immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation involving four Coast Guard patrol boats, a private vessel with civilian divers, and two Air Force helicopters.

One patrol boat managed to rescue 25 people from the water, including seven men, 11 women, and seven juveniles. All were taken to a nearby hospital, where one woman later died.

Authorities also recovered 14 additional bodies from the sea — 11 men and three women — bringing the confirmed death toll to at least 15.

The Central Port Authority of Chios has opened a preliminary investigation into the incident, while rescue teams continue searching for possible missing passengers, who are believed to be migrants attempting to reach the island.