Greek coast guard officials recovered 13 bodies from a migrant boat found adrift south of Crete early Monday. An additional person who was rescued from the same vessel later died at a health center on the island, bringing the confirmed death toll to 14.
There were no immediate details regarding the nationalities or identities of the passengers, nor the cause of the deaths. In total, 18 people were rescued from the boat.
Authorities also reported encountering three other boats carrying approximately 187 migrants in the same area on Monday morning. These vessels were detected by aircraft and drones from the European Union's border agency, Frontex. The individuals from these three boats were expected to be brought ashore on Crete.
The sea crossing from North Africa to Greece has become a primary route for migrants seeking to enter the European Union. This route, particularly from Libya to Crete, has seen a significant increase in activity in recent months, according to Frontex.
Last month, 12 people, including an infant, died when two boats capsized while traveling from Turkey to the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos. The journey from Turkey to the Aegean islands is shorter but often perilous, with migrants frequently using unseaworthy vessels.
Frontex noted in October that the eastern Mediterranean route remains the busiest for migrants attempting to reach the EU. However, overall irregular border crossings into the bloc had decreased by a third in the first three quarters of the year compared to the same period in the previous year. The agency recorded approximately 31,800 crossings during this period, a 15% reduction from the year prior.