Aegean Boat Report

18/06/2026

More than four months after the deadly shipwreck off Chios on February 3, 2026, where 15 people lost their lives, serious questions remain unanswered.

According to the official account, the refugee boat rammed a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel before sinking.

From the very beginning, survivors disputed that version of events.

Now, lawyers representing the survivor accused of smuggling and causing the shipwreck say they will present evidence from a technical examination of the Coast Guard vessel involved, PLS 1077, as well as findings from the incident site, which they claim directly challenge the official narrative.

The evidence will be presented at a press conference in Athens on June 19.

The questions surrounding this case have always been profound.

Why were so many victims found with catastrophic injuries?

Why was the refugee boat never recovered despite extensive searches?

Why was there reportedly no video footage from the Coast Guard vessel involved?

And why was one of the survivors transformed from witness to suspect before the circumstances of the shipwreck had been fully established?

Whether the evidence presented on Friday ultimately withstands scrutiny remains to be seen.

But the Chios shipwreck cannot be viewed in isolation.

For years, survivors have described violent interceptions, dangerous manoeuvres at sea, beatings, abandonment in life rafts, and pushbacks carried out in the Aegean. Again and again, official narratives have later been challenged by witness testimony, investigations, court proceedings and independent evidence.

Just weeks ago, reports emerged that an internal Frontex investigation concluded that actions by the Greek Coast Guard may have contributed to another deadly shipwreck near Lesvos.

The pattern is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

When 15 people lose their lives at Europe's borders, every piece of evidence matters. Every question deserves an answer. And accountability cannot depend on who controls the narrative in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy.

The upcoming press conference may not provide all the answers.

But it may bring us closer to the truth about what happened that night off Chios.

Νέα στοιχεία και αποκαλύψεις, που ανατρέπουν το αφήγημα του Λιμενικού Σώματος για το πολύνεκρο ναυάγιο της 3ης Φεβρουαρίου 2026 ανοικτά του Μερσινιδίου στη Χίο προαν...

16/06/2026

Three months ago, United Nations Special Rapporteurs wrote to the Greek government expressing concern about attacks on lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders working on refugee issues.

According to reports published in Greece, the communication specifically refers to the prosecution of the founder of Aegean Boat Report, Tommy Olsen, alongside concerns about refugee lawyers and journalists who have scrutinised the actions of Greek authorities.

The Rapporteurs reportedly concluded that these are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern that undermines the defence of human rights and the rule of law in Greece.

Three months later, the concerns remain unanswered.

Instead, senior Greek ministers have chosen to mock the United Nations.

Not deny the allegations.

Not address the concerns.

Not explain why lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders have become targets.

Simply mock those who raised the questions.

This should alarm anyone who believes in accountability.

When governments stop answering questions and start attacking those asking them, something is deeply wrong.

For years, Aegean Boat Report has documented pushbacks, disappearances, illegal expulsions and deaths at Europe's borders.

The response has followed a familiar pattern.

First denial.

Then attacks on witnesses.

Then attacks on journalists.

Then attacks on lawyers.

Then attacks on organisations documenting what is happening.

Now even the United Nations is being treated with contempt for raising concerns.

The question is no longer whether human rights defenders are being targeted.

The question is why the Greek government appears so determined to silence, discredit and intimidate anyone who documents what is happening at its borders.

The evidence continues to grow.

The questions remain unanswered.

And that, perhaps more than anything else, explains why independent monitoring remains necessary.

Με επιστολή τους, πέντε ειδικοί εισηγητές στηλιτεύουν τη στοχοποίηση όσων δραστηριοποιούνται στο προσφυγικό από τους κρατικούς αξιωματούχους

15/06/2026

New Arrivals on Lesvos
(Monday, June 15)

In the early hours of today, a group reported to be 20 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving on Eresos Beach on the western coast of Lesvos.

The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Lesvos.

When they contacted us, they had already walked approximately 5 kilometres through difficult terrain to the chapel of Agios Fanourios, located in the hills west of Eresos. The people were exhausted after the journey.

The group were afraid to contact authorities due to fears about what might happen to them, and local organisations were, for reasons unknown, impossible to reach.

At 09.00, contact was established with a local organisation, which then informed local authorities of the group’s presence. The group was advised to remain at their location and wait for police to arrive.

At noon, all 20 people had been located and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Mavrovouni.

The number of people in this arrival has not been officially confirmed.

⸻

Despite the ongoing attacks against our organisation and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report

12/06/2026

New Arrivals on Lesvos and Ikaria

In the early hours of today, a group reported to be 23 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving on Neapoli Beach on the southeastern shore of Lesvos.

After arriving, the group split into two groups of 16 and 7 people. The smaller group stayed close to the main road, while the larger group walked west of the airport and went into hiding, afraid of what might happen if police found them.

We tried to persuade the group of 16 to return to the main road and join the others, but they refused. The smaller group was located by local police shortly after first light, while the larger group was found at 09.00 after agreeing to come out of hiding.

All arrivals were located and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Mavrovouni before noon.

⸻

At first light, another group—reported to be 18 people, 14 men and 4 women—made contact after arriving on Foros Beach in Fanari on the northeastern coast of Ikaria.

The group walked up from the beach and found shelter at a chapel on the outskirts of the village. Several hours later they were located by local police after residents informed authorities of their presence.

As far as we have been informed, the group was transported to Agios Kirykos and is awaiting transfer to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou, Samos.

The groups provided pictures, videos and location data confirming their presence on the islands.

The number of people in both groups has not been officially confirmed.

⸻

Despite the ongoing pressure on our organisation and the continued lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock—monitoring people in distress, documenting human rights violations, and providing independent evidence when authorities fail to act.

Every arrival documented, every emergency reported, and every case monitored is only possible because people choose to support independent monitoring.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report

11/06/2026

AEGEAN BOAT REPORT
WEEKLY UPDATE – WEEK 23 (JUNE 1 – JUNE 7)

This week, 21 boats carrying 447 people attempted to reach the Greek Aegean Islands.

• 🚫 15 boats were stopped/pushed back — 299 people intercepted
• ✅ 6 boats arrived — 148 people were officially registered on the islands
• Several pushbacks were documented during the week

⸻

Of all boats that attempted the journey:

✅ 28.6% reached Greece
🚫 71.4% were intercepted — either pushed back by Greek authorities or stopped by the Turkish Coast Guard

⸻

📈 Arrivals increased by 8.0% compared to last week
➡️ The number of registered boats arriving on the islands remained unchanged at 6 boats this week
📈 The total number of boats departing towards the Greek islands increased from 15 boats last week to 21 boats this week

📉 Transfers to the mainland decreased by 15.6% (391 people relocated)
👥 Official island population: 3,339

⸻

So far in 2026:

• 🚤 232 boats carrying 5,469 people have been stopped by Turkish and Greek authorities
• 🏝️ 3,386 people have been registered on the Greek islands on 120 boats

⸻

Many of these numbers should have been significantly higher if not for the continued use of pushbacks carried out by the Hellenic Coast Guard — a practice that violates international law and continues to put lives at risk.

⸻

Island overview – registered population:

• Lesvos: 257
• Chios: 355
• Samos: 1,080
• Leros: 889
• Kos: 750
• Other islands: 8

⸻

📊 For more detailed statistics:
🌐 aegeanboatreport.com – ABR Statistics

⸻

Our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence from the Aegean Sea.

If you want us to continue answering distress calls and holding authorities accountable, please consider supporting our work:

💙 Support Aegean Boat Report
👉 https://whydonate.com/nl/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

09/06/2026

New Arrivals on Samos

This morning, two groups comprising a reported 40 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving on the Greek island of Samos.

The first group made contact at 06:30 after arriving north of Charavgi on the eastern coast of Samos. They reported being 9 people: 2 men, 6 women and 1 child.

We advised the group to contact local authorities and inform them of their presence on the island, and also to reach out to local organisations for assistance.

The group told us they were afraid of being pushed back by Greek authorities and had hidden in the hills above the coast. We advised them not to remain hidden, but instead to move towards more populated areas where they could be more easily located.

The group started walking towards the village of Charavgi, but communication was lost while they were moving through the hills.

We later learned that they had been located near Villa Issima and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou.

The second group reported being 31 people: 17 men, 7 women and 7 children. They had arrived at Agios Nikolaos Beach on the northwestern coast of Samos.

Like the first group, they had left the shoreline and were hiding in the surrounding hills, afraid of what might happen if they encountered local authorities.

We again advised the group to contact local authorities and organisations, and to move towards populated areas where they could be more easily located.

After some persuasion, the group agreed to walk towards the village of Kontakeika, arriving there at approximately 14:20.

Local residents informed the police, and at around 15:30 the group was located by authorities. After some time, they too were transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou.

Both groups provided pictures, videos and location data confirming their presence on Samos.

The number of people involved in these arrivals has not yet been officially confirmed.

⸻

What stands out in both cases is that the first instinct of those arriving was not to seek assistance, but to hide.

Both groups expressed fear that contact with authorities could result in being returned to Turkey. Whether justified or not, this fear reflects the reality many people on the move believe they face when arriving in Greece today.

⸻

Despite the massive attack on our organisation and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report

08/06/2026

A few weeks ago, Norwegian courts rejected Greece’s request to extradite Aegean Boat Report founder Tommy Olsen.

Human Rights Watch described the decision as a victory for human rights.

The case received significant attention in Norway and internationally. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, major Norwegian media, The Guardian and many others highlighted both the case and the importance of independent monitoring at Europe’s borders.

A few days ago, this work was recognised with the Annette Thommessen Honorary Award from NOAS.

These have been important moments.

Not only personally, but for everyone who has stood against the growing criminalisation of those documenting human rights violations at Europe’s borders.

Looking from the outside, it would be reasonable to assume that things are finally moving in the right direction for Aegean Boat Report.

I thought so too.

But the reality is that years of criminalisation have consequences that do not disappear with a court ruling.

Despite the support, despite the recognition and despite the media attention, Aegean Boat Report is still struggling to secure the funding needed to continue its work.

For more than eight years, Aegean Boat Report has documented pushbacks, human rights violations and people in distress at Europe’s borders. Thousands of incidents have been documented. Tens of thousands of people have received assistance when they had nowhere else to turn.

Today, the greatest challenge facing this work is no longer a courtroom.

It is survival.

Unless the situation changes, I may be forced to close Aegean Boat Report.

That is not something I ever expected to write after everything that has happened in recent months.

People continue to drown.

Pushbacks continue.

Human rights violations continue.

The need for independent monitoring has not disappeared.

For now, the work continues.

For those who have asked how they can support Aegean Boat Report and help ensure this work can continue, information can be found here:

https://aegeanboatreport.com/donate/

07/06/2026

AEGEAN BOAT REPORT – MONTHLY UPDATE (MAY 2026)

In May 2026, arrivals to the Greek Aegean islands slightly decreased compared to April, while interceptions at sea and illegal pushbacks remained a defining feature of border enforcement in the region.

A total of 453 people arrived on the Greek islands on 20 boats, while 51 boats carrying 1,168 people were intercepted by the Turkish Coast Guard before reaching Greece or after being pushed back from Greek territory.

Compared to April:
• 📉 Arrivals decreased by 6.6 %
• 📈 Arriving boats increased by 11.1 %
• 📈 Transfers to the mainland increased by 50.2 % (874 people relocated)

Demographics on the islands this month:
Men 46 %, Women 23 %, Children 31 %

⸻

Arrivals by Island

Of the 20 boats officially registered in May:

• Lesvos: 2 boats — 59 people
• Samos: 8 boats — 184 people
• Chios: 5 boats — 102 people
• Kos: 2 boats — 36 people
• Leros: 1 boat — 28 people
• Other islands and smaller islets: 2 boats — 44 people

⸻

Pushbacks

In May, Aegean Boat Report documented 12 pushback cases in the Aegean Sea, involving 340 men, women and children who attempted to reach safety in Europe but were forcibly returned.

No cases involving the use of life rafts were documented this month. This does not indicate a change in practice. The use of life rafts to carry out pushbacks in the Aegean is well documented, with people left drifting at sea without means of navigation.

In previous months, a percentage of those recovered by Turkish authorities had already been pushed back by Greek authorities, pointing to a continued pattern despite the absence of recorded life raft cases this month.

⸻

Population on the Islands

By the end of May, 3,105 people remained on the Greek islands, down from 6,044 one year ago, representing a 48.6 % decrease.

Official island capacity: 14,843 people
Current population: 11,738 below capacity

Breakdown by island:

• Lesvos: 333
• Samos: 1,141
• Chios: 347
• Kos: 601
• Leros: 676
• Other islands: 7

In the last 12 months, 5,247 people have been pushed back by Greek authorities.

The Greek government continues to reduce arrivals not through protection or policy, but through illegal pushbacks of people attempting to cross from Turkey in small rubber boats.

⸻

Why This Matters

This is not just about numbers.

Behind every statistic is a person who attempted to reach safety — and was either allowed to enter a legal process, or prevented from doing so.

What happens at Europe’s borders today defines what kind of system exists tomorrow.

When people are stopped at sea, denied access to asylum procedures, or forced back without due process, it is not migration policy — it is the erosion of fundamental rights.

These are not isolated incidents.
They form a consistent pattern.

Without independent monitoring, there is no transparency.
Without transparency, there is no accountability.

And without accountability, these practices continue.

⸻

Our work continues around the clock to document human rights violations, monitor people in distress, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report

07/06/2026

New Arrivals on Lesvos

This morning, a group reported to be 17 people — 4 men, 5 women and 8 children — contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving west of Lapsarna on the northwestern coast of Lesvos.

The group provided pictures, videos and location data confirming their presence on Lesvos.

The group started walking east towards more populated areas of the island. We advised them to inform local authorities of their presence and to reach out to local organisations for assistance if needed.

We were later informed that authorities had been notified, but that it would take time before they could reach the group. The group therefore continued walking east along a winding dirt road.

At 15.00, we were informed that the group had been located and would be transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Mavrovouni.

The number of people in this arrival has not been officially confirmed.

⸻

Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report

07/06/2026

New Arrivals on Chios

Yesterday at 16:00, Aegean Boat Report was contacted by a group reported to be 24 people after they had been stopped by the Greek Coast Guard approximately 2 nautical miles northeast of Vokaria, on the southeastern coast of Chios.

The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their position inside Greek territorial waters.

The people onboard were frightened and convinced they would be towed back towards Turkey. They contacted us asking for help.

There was little we could do if the Greek Coast Guard had already decided to carry out a pushback operation, beyond documenting the situation. We therefore asked the group to continue sending pictures and videos of what was happening.

From the material received, we could clearly see that the Coast Guard vessel was towing their boat. What we could not see were masked men onboard the Coast Guard vessel, something often reported during pushback operations. This gave us reason to hope that this was not going to end in a pushback.

By following the group’s live location, we could see that they were being towed north towards the port of Chios, rather than east towards Turkey, which would have been the expected direction if the intention had been to push them back.

The group was eventually brought ashore and later transferred to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Vial.

We believe that the group’s close proximity to a populated area, in broad daylight and in the presence of numerous vessels, made a pushback operation difficult to carry out. There were simply too many eyes watching and too many questions that would have needed answers.

This incident is also a reminder that transparency matters.

When people can document what is happening, when locations can be tracked in real time, and when witnesses are present, it becomes far more difficult for abuses to take place unseen.

That is precisely why independent monitoring remains essential.

The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.

⸻

Despite the massive attack on our organisation and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.

If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:

🔗 WhyDonate
https://whydonate.com/fundraising/the-only-eyes-on-the-aegean-sea-and-theyre-about-to-go-dark

💙 Thank you for standing with us.

Aegean Boat Report