On Monday, a European border patrol vessel sank off the coast of Lesvos, Greece, during a search and rescue operation, as reported by the Hellenic Coast Guard. The unnamed Frontex boat was conducting a near-shore search for migrants who had gone missing after their vessel, which had crossed from Turkey to Lapsarna, Lesvos, encountered difficulties.
At approximately 6 PM, 36 survivors reached shore and alerted authorities that four individuals were still unaccounted for. While searching for these missing migrants, the Portuguese-crewed Frontex boat encountered rough sea conditions and struck a rock, leading to significant damage to its fiberglass hull.
The vessel began to flood and ultimately sank. Fortunately, six crew members—five Portuguese and one Greek—were rescued and brought safely to shore. The Lesvos port authority has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
