Athens: At least 14 Egyptians died after an irregular migration boat sank near the port of the Greek island of Crete, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. In a statement, the ministry reported that it is actively following up on the incident, which involved a boat that had departed from one of Egypt's neighboring countries, aiming for Greece on December 7, 2025.

According to Anadolu Agency, the boat was carrying 34 irregular migrants of various nationalities, including 14 Egyptian citizens who tragically lost their lives. The ministry stated that it is in swift communication with Greek authorities to offer all possible assistance to those rescued and to expedite the repatriation of the bodies of the Egyptian victims.

The ministry described the incident as 'tragic' and urged Egyptian citizens 'not to be drawn into the clutches of irregular migration networks,' highlighting the importance of protecting lives and preventing such painful occurrences.

Irregular migrants have increasingly used Libya and other neighboring countries as transit points to reach the island of Crete, which serves as a gateway to the European Union. In early July, the Greek government decided to suspend asylum applications, particularly for individuals arriving in Crete from Libya.

Egypt asserts that it has prevented the departure of any irregular migration boats towards Europe since 2016, noting that Egyptian irregular migrants typically use Libya as a transit route.