The Greek Coast Guard says a speedboat carrying foreign nationals collided with a patrol vessel off the island of Chios, capsized and sank, leaving at least 15 people dead and dozens more rescued or hospitalized.
In an official statement, the Coast Guard said the incident happened during a scheduled nighttime patrol in the sea area of Mirsinidi, on Chios’ eastern coast. Officers spotted an inflatable speedboat moving without navigation lights toward the shoreline and ordered it to stop using light and sound signals.
According to the Coast Guard, the speedboat operator did not comply. Instead, the vessel changed course and struck the patrol boat on its starboard side. The force of the collision caused the speedboat to overturn and sink, throwing all passengers into the water.
A search and rescue operation began immediately under the coordination of the national rescue coordination center. Four Coast Guard patrol boats and a private vessel with volunteer divers joined the response, while two Air Force helicopters conducted aerial searches.
Rescuers pulled 25 foreign nationals from the sea — seven men, seven women and 11 minors — all injured. They were taken to the port and then transferred to the island’s general hospital. One of the rescued women later died from her injuries.
Two Coast Guard crew members, a man and a woman, were also taken to the hospital. The male officer has since been discharged, while the female officer remains hospitalized for further tests.
During ongoing searches, crews recovered 14 bodies — 11 men and three women — from the water. Together with the woman who died in the hospital, the confirmed death toll stands at 15. Authorities transferred the bodies to the hospital for autopsies.
The Chios Port Authority is conducting a preliminary investigation into the incident. Search operations continue with five Coast Guard vessels and an additional Coast Guard helicopter deployed to locate any missing persons.
The Coast Guard said further updates will be released in follow-up statements.
