A tragic incident unfolded on Saturday near the island of Samos, in the Aegean Sea, as one migrant was found dead and four others are reported missing following a sea crossing.

Greek authorities were alerted after police discovered 26 migrants on land in the Petalides area, raising concerns that additional migrants could be in the sea. A coordinated search operation is now underway involving a coast guard vessel, private boats, and an aerial unit. Rescue teams are combing both the sea and nearby coastline.

According to witnesses among the rescued migrants, four people remain unaccounted for, prompting a continued search for possible survivors.

Meanwhile, separate rescue operations are taking place south of Crete. In one operation, 170 migrants were saved from overcrowded vessels, with authorities also arresting suspected human traffickers.

Earlier on Saturday, the Liberian-flagged cargo ship MURABBA rescued 109 migrants approximately 45 nautical miles south of Gavdos. They were transferred to coast guard boats and safely brought to the port of Palaiochora, then moved to a temporary reception facility in Agia Chania.

Another rescue occurred on Friday afternoon, 49.2 nautical miles south of Kalo Limenes, when the Vanuatu-flagged cargo ship SVS HONESTY saved 31 migrants, including five minors. They were safely transported to Heraklion under coast guard supervision.

Investigations revealed that the migrants had departed from Tobruk, Libya, on the night of December 26, 2025, paying between 150,000 and 200,000 Egyptian guineas each to traffickers. Greek authorities have arrested a 19-year-old Egyptian identified as a smuggler in connection with these operations.