Refugee death toll from capsized boat off Lesvos rises to 32

The Coast Guard, which rescued 242 refugees, is still not sure how many people were aboard the boat when the accident took place but they are worried the number of victims will rise. “If the fear that there were 300 to 350 people onboard proves correct, then we will find ourselves before truly tragic scenes in the next few days, when winds will start to pick up and the sea will wash ashore drowned refugees,” a coast guard official said.

During the search operation this morning, authorities recovered 22 bodies from the northwestern coast of Lesvos, from the areas of Mithymna and Petra all the way to Andissa, most of which are children aged from a few months to a few years old.