On Monday, March 16, an EU border agency boat carrying an Estonian diplomat and law enforcement officers sank near the Greek island of Megisti in the Aegean Sea.
This is reported by Reuters and Bosphorus News.
The incident occurred at around 4:20 p.m. local time near Megisti, a small Greek island located about two kilometers from the Turkish mainland. The island is also known as Kastelorizo. The boat, operated by Frontex, the EU's external border security agency, capsized and sank.
The people who were in the water were lifted aboard by the crews of the Greek Coast Guard and a civilian catamaran passing nearby.
On board the boat were: Estonian Ambassador to Greece Karin Rannu, three Estonian crew members from the Police and Border Guard Department (PPA), and one Greek border guard.
The four injured passengers were later airlifted by a Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter to a hospital in Rhodes. Rannu is reported to have suffered minor injuries. The two Estonian crew members are in serious condition.
The cause of the incident is currently unknown. Greek public broadcaster ERT reported that the ship may have hit a dry dock structure while entering or leaving the port, leading to the sinking.
Estonia has been providing personnel and vessels to participate in Frontex operations in Greece since 2016. The EU border agency carries out joint patrols at the bloc's external borders, including in the Aegean Sea.