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Greece: Migrant boat sinks off Lesbos, leaving four dead
Four people died after a rubber boat carrying 38 migrants and refugees sank off the island of Lesbos, Greek port police reported on Tuesday. The bodies were recovered by coast guards near the Gulf of Gera, while 34 survivors managed to reach the nearby shore. Authorities are currently identifying the victims and survivors.
According to the Greek news agency ANA, the boat struck a rock near the coast before sinking. Strong winds of up to 60 km/h and waves reaching 1.5 meters high complicated the rescue efforts. Most of the survivors are believed to be from African countries and have been transferred to the Lesbos reception and registration center.
Lesbos, one of the main gateways to Europe for migrants fleeing war and poverty, continues to face tragic shipwrecks. In April, seven people, including three children, died in a similar incident.
The conservative government has recently tightened its migration policy, suspending for three months the asylum applications of people arriving from North African countries—a decision widely criticized by international organizations.