At least 61 refugees dead and 59 missing in 27 shipwrecks in Greece in 2024
61 refugees were recovered dead, while another 59 remain missing (and are now presumed dead) in 27 shipwreck incidents in Greece in 2024. These figures derive from the data we are publishing today for the whole of 2024, following our own collection and analysis.
For this data, we gathered all publicly documented incidents in Greece in 2024 involving deaths or missing persons, cross-referencing information from publicly available sources. These include primarily official announcements from the Greek and Turkish coast guards, as well as the UNHCR, publications in Greek and international media, and posts from the organisations Alarm Phone and Aegean Boat Report. We also cross-checked this data with that of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), specifically the Missing Migrants Project, which records incidents of deaths at borders or during migration processes.
Moreover, on the Turkish side of the Aegean, at least 42 deaths and 9 reported missing persons were recorded in 8 shipwreck incidents. While these figures are not exhaustive, due to our limited access to data from Turkey, it is estimated that a total of at least 171 people lost their lives or remain missing in the Aegean in 2024, across 35 refugee shipwrecks.
We also note that we have also recorded at least 19 bodies that have been recovered but remain unidentified, most likely linked to refugee shipwrecks, and which are not included in the above number. These bodies are often in an advanced state of decomposition, making their identification and determination of the cause of death even more difficult.
Of the 27 shipwrecks involving deaths or missing persons recorded in Greece, 12 occurred in the Northern Aegean, 11 in the Southern Aegean, and 4 in Crete. The accompanying map depicts the islands near which these shipwrecks were located. Notably, the majority of shipwrecks with fatalities or missing persons were recorded in the maritime areas of Samos (8), Rhodes (5) and Lesvos (3).
We have also visualized these incidents by month, using graphs and other data visualisations, for the entire year .According to this data, the end of the year was the deadliest period, with 9 incidents in November and December alone, resulting in a tragic toll of 36 deaths and 41 reported missing persons.
Additionally, there are incidents with public allegations of violence by the Greek Coast Guard during pursuits, including the ramming of refugee boats, which require independent and thorough investigation. A striking example is the recent shipwreck off the coast of Rhodes on 20 December 2024, where, according to survivor testimonies, “a vessel of the Hellenic Coast Guard violently rammed a boat carrying 27 people (…),” resulting in the violent death of 8 individuals, three of whom were recovered dismembered.
Source: efsyn.gr
Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), with the support of PRO ASYL, has undertaken legal assistance in at least 7 new shipwreck cases involving deaths or missing persons in Lesvos, Chios, Farmakonisi, Kos, and Rhodes during 2024. The provided legal assistance includes processes related to information provision, communication with authorities, victim identification and burial processes, documentation of missing persons, asylum procedures for shipwreck survivors or/and their families, ensuring appropriate reception conditions and psychosocial support, as well as accountability for human rights violations and criminal investigation of related cases.
We observe that large-scale shipwrecks have intensified. The absence of safe and legal pathways for people seeking asylum in the EU, combined with systematic deterrence practices at the EU’s external borders, in violation of fundamental legal principles, drives countless individuals to their deaths. A year and a half after the catastrophic shipwreck off Pylos, where over 600 people lost their lives, shipwrecks and deaths at the borders remain an almost daily occurrence.
At the same time, the victims of shipwrecks and their loved ones are deprived of their basic rights. It is often the case that those who perish at the borders are merely recorded as “unknown persons.” Essential protocols for the registration, search, and identification of the missing and deceased, as well as procedures for identification, burial, and informing and providing psychosocial support to their relatives – often survivors of the same shipwrecks – are absent or inadequately implemented.
A radical reform of European and Greek policies on asylum and migration is imperative. These policies must prioritize the safeguarding of refugees’ and migrants’ fundamental rights, in stark contrast to the “normalisation” of deaths in refugee shipwrecks. The first and essential step is ensuring safe and legal pathways so that those seeking asylum can travel securely. Simultaneously, the deceased, the missing, and their families are entitled to support and justice. It is vital to advocate for their cause and to put an end to the unjust deaths at the borders.
