Chios, Greece: Deadly tragedy following collision between Coast Guard vessel and boat carrying refugees
Immediate independent investigation required
A tragedy occurred on the night of Tuesday, 3 February 2026 off the coast of Mersinidi in Vrontados, eastern Chios, following a collision between a vessel of the Hellenic Coast Guard and a boat carrying refugees.
According to the information available so far, 15 people have lost their lives. 14 deceased individuals (11 men and 3 women) were recovered from the sea, while one woman died at Chios General Hospital where she had been transferred in critical condition. The latest data refer to 24 people hospitalised with injuries, including at least 11 children. Four injured persons are in critical condition, three of whom have already undergone surgical operations, including one minor. Two pregnant women suffered miscarriages and are receiving medical care. In addition, two members of the Hellenic Coast Guard were transferred to hospital with minor injuries. The immediate and coordinated response of the medical and nursing staff of Chios General Hospital was crucial, as they were required to treat a large number of severely injured people under extremely demanding conditions and despite serious shortages.
The incident once again demonstrates a violation of the obligation to conduct search and rescue by the competent authorities. Based on the available information and the initial announcement of the Hellenic Coast Guard, it appears that, instead of a search and rescue operation, an interception operation was deployed from the outset by Coast Guard vessel PLS 1077, a high-speed patrol boat. This occurred while the refugees’ boat was in obvious distress, was overcrowded, and was located at a short distance from the Greek coast, specifically near Mersinidi beach on Chios. We recall that the protection of human life at sea constitutes an absolute legal obligation, regardless of the status of those on board. Push backs of refugees are prohibited under international, EU and constitutional law.
The tragedy in Chios is not an isolated incident. Systematic deterrence and non-rescue practices carried out in Greece, and more broadly at the external borders of the European Union, in violation of fundamental legal standards, repeatedly result in loss of human lives. Two and a half years after the deadly Pylos shipwreck, in which over 600 people lost their lives, shipwrecks and deaths at the borders continue to occur almost daily, as a direct consequence of deterrence practices and of the absence of safe and legal routes for people seeking asylum in the EU. We recall that consistent complaints and relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights (for example, A.R.E. and others v. Greece) confirm that pushbacks at the Greek borders are a systematic practice by the Greek authorities.
We call for the immediate conduct of an independent, thorough, and effective investigation into the circumstances of this incident, in order to establish accountability and deliver justice. The investigation must examine any acts or omissions of the competent authorities, taking into account survivor testimonies, as well as audiovisual material from recording devices (cameras, VDRs, etc.) that Coast Guard vessels are obliged to carry and operate.
Furthermore, previous shipwrecks in Greece in which we have provided legal assistance have revealed serious deficiencies in the information, support and care provided to survivors and to relatives of victims, as well as in the identification of the deceased. It is essential to ensure the immediate provision of all necessary conditions for the reception and accommodation of survivors, as well as comprehensive psychosocial and legal support, including, of course, the provision of asylum.
