Greece is strengthening air defences after threats of possible Iranian attacks on US bases in Europe, moving a Patriot missile defence system from Karpathos to the Souda naval base on Crete. Kathimerini reported that the move came about 24 hours after senior Iranian officials issued the threats. The system, its equipment and personnel left Karpathos at dawn and were expected to become operational in the wider Souda area within hours.

Greece’s Defence Ministry and armed forces general staff have been on alert since last week. They are assessing the level of potential threats and considering measures to reinforce security at critical infrastructure. Athens is also concerned about Iran’s missile stockpile; allied assessments cited by the report say Iran retains a significant number of ballistic missiles, some with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometres.

The Patriot system had been deployed to Karpathos in March as part of a broader plan to protect the entire Athens Flight Information Region against potential ballistic missile attacks. Greece is also considering the future of another Patriot unit stationed in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, since September 2021. Kathimerini said the unit is more likely to return to Greece soon than have its deployment extended.

Three people were killed after a private helicopter crashed into the sea near Sifnos, a popular tourist island in Greece. The accident occurred late Monday night, according to the report. The Bell-model helicopter fell into the water only seconds after taking off from a nearby helipad. Fire service authorities confirmed the deaths of all three people aboard.

Local outlet Kathimerini reported that the helicopter had been due to fly over Sifnos island. Instead, it crashed into the sea shortly after becoming airborne. No one among the helicopter’s three occupants survived the accident.

The cause of the crash was not immediately confirmed, and an investigation has begun. Kathimerini said questions had been raised about the timing of the pilot’s appointment, reporting that the pilot had been hired only two months earlier. However, it remains unknown whether the pilot’s recent appointment had any connection to the crash. Investigators are continuing efforts to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Greek authorities rescued at least 202 migrants off Crete, Greece’s southern island, in less than 48 hours, according to the report published on August 8, 2026. Most of those rescued were citizens of Bangladesh and Sudan, while several Egyptians were also among the group.

On Thursday, the Greek coastguard rescued another 40 people off Ierapetra. Earlier, 112 people arrived aboard two boats. That group included 72 Bangladeshis, 31 Sudanese nationals and nine Egyptian nationals.

All those rescued were taken to temporary accommodation facilities at the port of Heraklion. Greek authorities also arrested a 16-year-old South Sudanese boy on accusations of trafficking 50 migrants. The allegation is that each migrant was charged between $1,500 and $2,000 for the journey from Tobruk, Libya, to Greece.

Two crew members were killed when two leased Bell helicopters collided midair during a wildfire-fighting operation in Greece, local authorities said. The crash occurred while crews were working to contain a large blaze near the Attica-Boeotia border, about 65 kilometres west of Athens. Those killed were identified as a Danish pilot and a liaison officer from the Greek Fire Service.

A British pilot and a Greek coordinator aboard the other helicopter survived and were rescued alive. Video of the accident showed one helicopter striking the other’s rotor, causing a fire before both aircraft crashed into a ravine. Two occupants of the other helicopter were recovered unconscious and later declared dead by doctors after being taken to hospital.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the victims’ relatives. All Bell helicopter flights nationwide were temporarily suspended for safety reasons, while firefighting continued using Erickson Air-Crane and Chinook helicopters and Canadair water-bombing aircraft. More than 500 firefighters have worked over the past 72 hours to contain multiple wildfires amid an ongoing heatwave.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Crete, Greece, early Friday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake occurred at a depth of about 13 kilometers and was centered roughly 11.5 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Ierapetra. No immediate reports of casualties or damage have been received so far.

The tremor was recorded at 6:18 a.m. local time on April 24, 2026. Greece, known for its numerous islands and popularity among tourists, has experienced several earthquakes in recent years. In June 2025, a 5.3-magnitude quake in northern Greece damaged at least three centuries-old monasteries on Mount Athos, a major religious site.

Authorities have not yet released further details on the latest quake’s impact, and monitoring continues for possible aftershocks or damage assessments.

At least 22 migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to travel from Libya to Greece, according to reports received on Saturday night. Twenty-six others were rescued from the same boat, including 21 Bangladeshis. Families of the missing said the deaths were not caused by a boat sinking but by starvation and thirst after the vessel suffered mechanical failure and drifted for nearly a week.

Relatives from Sunamganj district in Bangladesh confirmed that among the dead were ten people from the area, including residents of Dirai, Doarabazar, and Jagannathpur upazilas. Survivors reported that many bodies were thrown into the sea. The rescued group included 21 Bangladeshis, four from South Sudan, and one from Chad. Two of the survivors were hospitalized in Heraklion, Crete, in critical condition.

The incident highlights the continuing peril faced by migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean, with mechanical failures and lack of food and water proving deadly for many aboard.

At least 22 migrants, including 18 from Bangladesh, have died after their dinghy drifted for six days off the coast of Greece, according to the Greek Coast Guard. The vessel had departed from Tobruk port in eastern Libya on March 21, bound for Europe. A European border agency ship rescued 26 survivors, including 21 Bangladeshis, four from South Sudan, and one from Chad. Among the rescued were a woman and a child, while two injured individuals were hospitalized on the island of Crete.

Authorities identified three of the deceased Bangladeshis as residents of Sunamganj district. The Coast Guard said the deaths were likely caused by bad weather and a lack of food and water. The boat reportedly lost direction, leaving passengers stranded without supplies. The vessel was eventually located about 53 nautical miles south of Ierapetra, Crete.

Two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident. The UNHCR reported that 41,696 migrants had reached Greece by sea in 2025, highlighting the ongoing risks of Mediterranean crossings.

At least fourteen people were killed when a migrant-carrying speedboat collided with a Greek coastguard patrol vessel near Chios Island on Tuesday evening. The crash occurred close to Mirsinidi beach, and rescue teams recovered the bodies from the sea, according to TRT World. Several others were injured in the incident.

Among the injured were seven children and two pregnant women, all of whom were taken to hospital for treatment. Two coastguard officers were also hospitalized following the collision. Reports indicate that the condition of four migrants remains critical.

Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the collision or the nationalities of those on board.

Greece’s Ministry of Migration has submitted a new bill to parliament aimed at tightening penalties for migrant smuggling. The proposed law includes provisions for life imprisonment for convicted smugglers and allows for the deportation of migrants involved in such crimes. It also criminalizes assistance by legally residing migrants to irregular migrants. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, formerly linked to a far-right party, is leading the proposal, which is scheduled for parliamentary review next week.

According to the ministry, the bill seeks to strengthen punishment at all levels of illegal migrant trafficking. It also extends penalties to NGO workers accused of smuggling, including potential prison terms. However, 56 NGOs, including the Greek branches of Doctors of the World and Doctors Without Borders, have expressed concern over several clauses, calling for their immediate withdrawal. They argue that the bill grants excessive power to the ministry, enabling it to suspend an organization’s registration even before guilt is proven.

The bill also introduces measures to promote legal migration, such as simplifying recruitment from third countries, launching new visas for high-tech workers, and granting residence permits to students from developing nations. It further proposes vocational training programs to integrate asylum seekers and refugees into labor-short sectors like construction, agriculture, and tourism.

Two people were killed across Greece on Wednesday as heavy rain and strong winds swept through the country, causing widespread flooding and transport disruptions. According to Maritime Affairs Minister Vassilis Kikilias, a coastguard officer died after being struck by waves while on duty in the coastal town of Astros in eastern Peloponnese. In another incident, a woman was killed in the Athens suburb of Glyfada when her car was swept away by floodwaters. Authorities suspended ferry services and closed several roads due to the severe weather.

Wind speeds exceeded 100 kilometers per hour, prompting school closures in Athens and parts of western and southern Greece. Meteorologists reported that some areas of the capital received six weeks’ worth of rainfall in a single day. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis postponed his planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, due to the situation.

Experts have repeatedly warned that deadly floods in recent years have been worsened by rapid urbanization and blocked waterways, urging infrastructure improvements, particularly in the greater Athens region.

Greek coast guards rescued 131 migrants from a fishing boat near the island of Crete on Saturday, according to the report. The rescued individuals were taken to Gavdos, though their nationalities were not disclosed. This brings the total number of migrants rescued in the region over the past five days to 840.

Earlier in December, a boat sank off the coast of Crete, killing 17 people, most of whom were Sudanese or Egyptian, while 15 others remained missing and only two survived. The United Nations refugee agency reported that since the beginning of the year, more than 16,770 people have reached Crete while attempting to enter Europe.

In July, Greece’s conservative government suspended asylum application processing for three months, particularly affecting migrants arriving from Libya.

Eighteen migrants have died after a boat sank off the southern Greek island of Chrissi on Saturday, according to the Greek Coast Guard. The vessel went down about 40 kilometers from the shore, with only two survivors rescued and transferred to nearby Crete. A Turkish cargo ship first spotted the sinking boat and alerted Greek authorities shortly after the incident.

The Coast Guard reported that the boat was carrying 20 migrants attempting to reach Europe. The tragedy highlights the persistent dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya, Turkey, and Morocco toward Greece and Italy. Since 2015, more than a million undocumented migrants have sought refuge in Greece, many housed in overcrowded camps.

Authorities warn that worsening weather conditions and unseaworthy vessels continue to make these journeys perilous. The Greek government has called for stronger regional cooperation to curb human smuggling and prevent further loss of life in the Mediterranean migration routes.