Pursuit between coast guard and migrant smugglers’ speedboat near Symi leaves one dead
A pursuit between a coast guard boat and a speedboat transporting migrants from Turkey to the island of Symi in the southeastern Aegean on Friday resulted in one death.
According to reports, the incident took place in the waters northwest of Symi, when a coast guard patrol boat spotted the speedboat.
The speedboat’s Turkish operators did not comply with the coast guard’s signals and instead executed dangerous maneuvers, attempting to ram the patrol vessel.
Officers opened fire to immobilize the smuggler’s boat and one of the bullets fatally wounded a passenger from Kuwait.
According to information from Kathimerini, the man who lost his life was likely seated near the motor.
The foreign national was transported to the General Hospital of Rhodes, where his death was confirmed. The speedboat with the remaining 13 passengers was escorted to the port of Symi.
The prosecutor has been informed of the incident.
