ATHENS, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 28 people were rescued, while three others remained missing, after a boat carrying irregular migrants from Türkiye sank off the Greek island of Samos on Tuesday, Greek authorities said.

A search-and-rescue operation was underway to locate the missing ones, the Hellenic Coast Guard said, adding that winds of up to force 5 on the Beaufort scale were affecting the area.

According to the Coast Guard, the migrants were found near the coastline after their boat crashed into rocks. They were taken to a local hospital for first aid, while an injured baby in serious condition was airlifted to Athens, local media outlet Samos Today reported. The nationalities of the migrants have not yet been confirmed.

Greece has been a key entry point for irregular migrants and refugees into the European Union since 2015. Over the past decade, more than one million arrivals have been recorded, while hundreds of people have lost their lives during dangerous sea crossings.

Data released recently by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) showed that irregular migration flows through the Eastern Mediterranean declined by 30 percent in the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

According to Frontex, about 46,200 arrivals have been recorded in Greek waters this year. ■