On 28 March, survivors from a boat which had been at sea for six days without food or water after leaving Tubruq on 21 March said that 22 people had died at sea. 26 people survived and were rescued by a European border agency vessel near the island of Crete. Greek authorities have arrested two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, who they believe to be the smugglers. They are now under investigation for “illegal entry into the country” and “negligent homicide”. The EU border agency Frontex said earlier in March that the number of migrants who have died trying to reach EU soil more than doubled in the first two months of 2026, compared with last year.
