ATHENS, Dec 6 - A tragic incident occurred when eighteen migrants drowned after their boat capsized about 26 miles (40 km) south of the small Greek island of Chrysi, according to a coast guard official on Saturday. Two people were rescued from the water.

The boat was first spotted by a Turkish cargo ship, which then alerted the Greek authorities.

The rescued individuals are being taken to Crete, the official noted.

Greece was a key location during the migration crisis of 2015-16, when over a million migrants from the Middle East and Africa entered Europe.

While the number of arrivals has decreased since then, the past year has seen a significant increase in the number of migrant boats, primarily from Libya, making their way to Crete, Gavdos, and Chrysi – the three Aegean islands closest to Africa. Sadly, fatal incidents continue to occur.