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ATHENS, Jan 25, 2026 (AFP) - A boat carrying over 50 migrants sank off the Greek coast, killing a woman and a boy and leaving three others missing, the coastguard said Sunday.

"Fifty migrants have been rescued and are being cared for by the authorities," after the accident off the island of Ikria in the northern Aegean Sea, a spokeswoman said.

"A rescue operation with a coastguard vessel is underway, and a team of rescuers and divers is expected later today," she said.

Strong winds were hampering rescue efforts, according to public broadcaster ERT.

Ikaria lies close to Turkey's western coast, a frequent setoff point for migrants trying to enter the European Union.

Many migrants also take the much longer route from Libya to Crete in southern Greece.

The perilous crossings are often fatal. In early December, 17 people were found dead after their boat sank off Crete and 15 others were reported missing. Only two people survived.

According to the UN refugee agency 107 people died or went missing in 2025 off the Greek coast. The International Organisation for Migration says about 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.