Migrants cling to debris, pulled onto rocks in Rhodes (photos + videos)

In the wake of the Mediterranean boat tragedy, at least three more dead in Rhodes

At least three migrants – a man, a woman and a child – drowned when a boat carrying dozens of migrants ran aground off the coast of Rhodes on Monday morning. Local Greek website Rodiaki featured footage from the scene at Zephyros beach showing a young child being pulled onto the rocks by local coast guards. there was speculation that the shipwreck was purposely intended as the coast in the area is rocky.

Some of the people rescued said that the human traffickers transporting them jumped boat shortly before it approached the beach. Dimokratiki.gr reported that two human traffickers masquerading as migrants were arrested on Monday night. They were identified by victims from the tragedy as the men who had promised to transport them from Fethiye in Turkey to Rhodes.

Survivors clung to debris and attempted to swim to shore even though many appeared not to know how to swim; a large portion of survivors was not wearing life jackets. Police fear that the death toll could be higher than three as more bodies are recovered.

93 people were rescued, with 30 taken to hospital. The nationality of the survivors is unknown.

The footage came in the wake of Sunday’s tragedy in the Mediterranean when a smuggler’s boat capsized off Libya.