Head Injuries, Not Drowning, Explain Most Deaths in Greek Shipwreck

A recent investigation into a tragic incident near the Greek island of Chios revealed that most of the 15 Afghan migrants who lost their lives did not drown. Instead, autopsies showed they suffered severe head and brain injuries when a small boat collided with a coast guard vessel on February 3. The crash is one of the deadliest migrant accidents in Greece’s recent history. The coast guard said the migrant dinghy was traveling without lights and ignored their warnings, then suddenly changed course to hit the patrol ship. Five survivors told a different story: they say the coast guard never warned them, and the dinghy did not change direction. Divers later found bodies inside the overturned boat.The findings point to a powerful impact that caused skull fractures and brain damage. Some victims also had chest injuries, and one report noted that drowning followed the head trauma. The coast guard’s own photos show only minor scrapes on their vessel, and three crew members were injured along with 24 migrants. A Moroccan man who survived the crash is now in custody on charges of smuggling and causing the collision. He denies any wrongdoing. The coast guard has not commented while an official inquiry continues. Greece has long been a frontline in Europe’s migration crisis. The government claims it follows international law and has rescued many people at sea, yet its stricter policies since 2019 have drawn criticism from human‑rights groups. A similar tragedy in 2023 involved a trawler that capsized after a failed tow attempt by the coast guard, and a naval court is still looking into that case.