CAIRO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Three Egyptian migrants were killed and 18 other Egyptians are still missing after a wooden boat carrying dozens of illegal migrants capsized in waters south of Greece's largest island Crete early Saturday, the Egyptian authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates said in a statement that it has intensified contact with the Greek authorities to follow up on efforts to recover the missing persons and return the bodies to Egypt.
It reiterated its call to citizens to exercise extreme caution and vigilance, to avoid being dragged into illegal immigration networks, and to completely refrain from traveling via illegal routes.
Greece, located at the southeastern edge of Europe, remains a major entry point for migrants and refugees attempting to reach the European Union by sea.
Just two months into 2026, at least 606 migrants have already been reported dead or missing along the Mediterranean route, according to the Missing Migrants Project of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This marks the deadliest start to a year in the Mediterranean since IOM began recording such data in 2014.
IOM has warned that trafficking and smuggling networks continue to exploit migrants along the Central Mediterranean route, stressing that stronger international cooperation and protection-centered responses are key to tackling these criminal networks and expanding safe and regular pathways to reduce risks and save lives. Enditem
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