Tragedy in the Mediterranean: cargo ship rescues survivors from shipwreck near Crete

A wooden boat carrying around 50 migrants sank in the waters south of Crete early Saturday morning, resulting in at least five confirmed deaths and more than 20 individuals still missing. The incident has triggered large-scale search and rescue operations led by European authorities.

Extreme conditions cause the sinking of the vessel

Adverse weather conditions in the Mediterranean region were decisive in the tragedy. At the time of the sinking, winds were blowing at force 6, generating waves approximately 2.5 meters high, according to reports from RTHK news agency. These harsh conditions created an extremely dangerous maritime environment for the overloaded wooden boat.

Cargo ship intervenes in rescue: a crucial turn

Panic broke out onboard when rescuers’ ships were spotted approaching, resulting in a disaster. Survivors rushed to one side of the vessel seeking help, but the coordinated movement caused the boat to become unbalanced and capsize suddenly. A Panamanian-flagged cargo ship in the area quickly intervened, rescuing 20 people from the turbulent waters. This cargo ship played a key role in preventing an even more tragic outcome.

Ongoing search operations: concern for the missing

Greek and European authorities deployed Greek Coast Guard vessels and facilities of the European Maritime Safety Agency to search the area of the incident. Rescue teams have recovered several bodies in the surrounding area, though authorities fear the death toll may continue to rise as recovery efforts proceed. Efforts to locate the more than 20 missing persons remain active, facing the same sea conditions that caused the catastrophe.