At least 15 migrants killed after collision with coast guard off Chios

At least 15 migrants died after a speedboat carrying people collided with a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol vessel and capsized off the eastern Aegean island of Chios late on Tuesday, coast guard officials said. Authorities recovered 14 bodies at sea and later reported that an injured woman died in hospital, raising the confirmed toll to at least 15. Roughly 24 to 25 people were taken to hospital, and search-and-rescue operations continued for possible missing passengers.

Coast guard crews said the migrant speedboat was located near Myrsinidi in the Chios Strait and ordered to turn back. A coast guard official said the crash occurred "when the migrant boat manoeuvred towards the patrol vessel after being instructed to turn back." Local accounts said a pursuit was under way when the two vessels made contact and the smaller craft capsized and sank.

Multiple coast guard ships and at least one helicopter were deployed to the scene, along with a privately owned boat carrying civilian divers. Authorities described a chaotic night of recoveries at sea and emergency treatment on the island. Officials said the total number of people who had been on the speedboat was unclear; some estimates suggested it could have been well over 40, given the numbers recovered, rescued and deceased.

Medical teams on Chios worked through the night treating dozens of injured survivors and trying to identify children who arrived without adults. Hospital staff spoke of "frantic efforts to identify the parents of injured children" after several unaccompanied minors were admitted. State broadcaster ERT said the injured included seven children, a pregnant woman and two coast guard officers; coast guard statements said 14 bodies initially recovered comprised 11 men and three women.

Authorities said the vast majority of those aboard were Afghans and that one Moroccan national has been identified and was being questioned. Two coast guard personnel were reported injured and taken to hospital for treatment. Video and photos from the port showed survivors being carried from boats into waiting ambulances and families shepherding limp or crying children toward medical care.

The incident will intensify scrutiny of Aegean migration routes and Greek maritime operations. Chios and the nearby Turkish coast have long been a transit corridor for people fleeing conflict and economic hardship, and Greece has carried out frequent patrols to intercept smugglers and prevent dangerous crossings. Migration flows have eased from the 2015 peak, but fatalities at sea continue to alarm humanitarian agencies and governments.

Greek authorities have launched an inquiry into the collision and the circumstances that led to the speedboat being ordered to return. Investigators will seek to establish the total number aboard, the sequence of commands and responses, and whether criminal charges will follow. Meanwhile, search teams will continue scouring the waters for any missing passengers, and hospitals on Chios will maintain emergency reception as families and officials work to identify victims and reunite survivors.