According to ERTNews, the vessel was spotted early on Friday morning by a Frontex patrol boat, 53 nautical miles south of Ierapetra. On board were 26 people, including a woman and two children, who were rescued with the assistance of a private vessel and taken to Kali Limenes.
Survivors said the dinghy had originally been carrying 48 people when it departed from Libya. During the journey, bad weather caused it to lose its course, leaving it stranded for days in the Libyan Sea.
Those on board were exposed to extreme conditions, without enough food or water, while the cold proved fatal for many. Survivors told authorities that the bodies of those who died were thrown into the sea during the journey.
As part of the preliminary investigation, the authorities arrested two young men from South Sudan, aged 19 and 21, who are accused of acting as traffickers and operating the boat. They are expected to appear before the Heraklion prosecutor.
Two of the rescued people were taken to hospital, while the woman and the two children are reported to be in good health. All the survivors are being held in a detention facility at the port of Heraklion.
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