Scenes from an action movie unfolded in Farmakonisi, as a smuggler disembarked 18 illegal immigrants and, in an attempt to avoid arrest, threw a minor into the sea.

The smuggler ultimately managed to evade the Coast Guard and escape with the speedboat he was operating to nearby shores, while all the transported individuals were reported to be in good health.

In the early hours of yesterday, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue vessel spotted a speedboat carrying illegal immigrants heading towards Farmakonisi.

The operator of the speedboat ignored the crew’s orders to stop and performed dangerous maneuvers. Subsequently, he approached a rocky shore on Farmakonisi, where during the disembarkation process, he threw one of the minors into the sea to evade arrest.

The minor was rescued with the assistance of the search-and-rescue crew and another passenger who dove into the sea. Meanwhile, the speedboat operator escaped towards the Turkish coastline.

During ground searches conducted in the broader area by the Special Missions Unit of Farmakonisi, 18 foreign nationals (5 men, 6 women, and 7 minors) were located. The individuals were later picked up by the search-and-rescue vessel and transported to Leros. Ten of them were taken to the Leros Reception and Identification Center, while the others were transferred to the Leros State Hospital – Health Center as a precautionary measure.

An investigation is underway, conducted by the Leros Port Authority.