Migrant Boat Capsizes near Greek Island, leaving at least 25 Dead

The Greek coast guard has reported that at least 25 migrants, including 10 children, have died after their wooden boat capsized by the Greek Island of Samos, which is near the coast of Turkey.

The coast guard stated that the bodies they recovered included five girls, five boys, five women and 10 men. The guard added that 10 people have been rescued. A search and rescue within the area is being conducted with the help of the European Union's Frontex border agency.

Since it is unclear how many migrants were aboard the ship, the rescuers do not know how many people are missing. One survivor stated that there were 40 to 45 migrants in total.

The nationalities of the migrants are currently unknown, but the majority of the migrants who have risked their lives to try to get to the Greek Islands have generally been from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In response to the latest incident, Doctors Without Borders stressed the importance of opening a safe passageway for migrants traveling from Turkey to Greece that would prevent the death toll in the Aegean Sea from increasing. The aid group added that in 2016 so far, there have been at least 224 deaths in migrants who were trying to get to Europe.

The Netherlands proposed a plan aimed at deterring migrants from attempting to reach the Greek Islands by sea. The proposal, which was introduced by Dutch Labor party leader, Diederik Samson, states that the EU will take in up to 250,000 migrants and refugees from Turkey per year. All migrants who arrive on the Greek Islands from Turkey, however, will be sent back.

"The Aegean Sea has become a mass grave, 3,700 people died there last year," Samson said.

The Labor leader stressed the importance of enforcing his plan by spring.