Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah

A boat carrying Iraqi migrants, mostly from the Kurdistan Region, sank off the Greek island of Rhodes on Tuesday, according to journalist Ranj Pzhdary.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Pzhdary said the vessel capsized in the Aegean Sea between Turkiye and Greece, killing two people — a man and a child — while 19 others were rescued. Search operations are ongoing for possible missing passengers.

No further details were provided about the victims’ identities or their route before departure.

The incident comes amid a growing wave of irregular migration from Iraq toward Europe, with thousands taking perilous sea routes through Turkiye, Greece, or North Africa. The International Organization for Migration reported more than 239,000 irregular crossings into Europe last year, with Iraqis among the top nationalities attempting the journey.

Locals cite poverty, joblessness, and political stagnation as key factors driving young Iraqis to risk their lives at sea in search of stability abroad.

Read more: A one-way ticket: Iraq's youth bet it all on a migration gamble