47%, followed by the Dodecanese islands at 18%, Samos at 12%, Lesvos at 10%, Chios at 8%, and other
islands at 5%. Overall, sea arrivals in 2025, have decreased by 23% compared to 2024. 49
Moreover, according to UNHCR,50 7,075 persons arrived in Greece through the Greek-Turkish land border
of Evros in 2025, compared to a total of 7,702 persons in 2024.
It is noteworthy, as in previous years, that the number of entries may under-represent the number of
people attempting to enter Greece and/or having already found themselves on Greek territory, as alleged
pushbacks practices, such as those inter alia confirmed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
in A.R.E. v. Greece and G.R.J. v. Greece, have continued being reported in 2025.51
Lastly, as reported by UNHCR,52 107 persons were reported as dead or missing during 2025, once more
underlying the critical gap in safe and legal pathways to protection.
In the maritime borders particularly, according to a report published by Refugee Support Aegean, during
2025, at least 98 refugees went dead or missing, following 28 fatal incidents in the maritime borders, 14
of which occurred in the North Aegean, 11 in the South Aegean, and 3 near Crete. The largest number of
fatal incidents was recorded in the maritime areas of Lesvos (7) and Farmakonisi (5). The fourth quarter
of the year saw the highest number of incidents and victims. The shipwreck off Ierapetra, with 17 people
dead and 15 missing, stands out as one of the most devastating incidents in Greek waters in recent years.
Furthermore, at least 18 women and 10 children were recorded as dead or missing. On the Turkish side
of the Aegean at least 53 dead and 3 missing persons in 10 incidents were documented. Overall,
excluding individual bodies that could not be linked to a specific incident, at least 154 people lost their
lives or remain missing in 2025 in 38 fatal incidents on both sides of the Aegean and in the wider area of
Crete.53
In May 2026, the historical decision of A.R.E. v. Greece (Application no. 15783/21) was issued. This was
the first judgement on a pushback case of an asylum seeker from Evros to Türkiye by the Greek
Authorities.
On 7 January 2025, the ECtHR published its judgment in the case of A.R.E. v. Greece (Application no.
15783/21),54 which was legally represented by lawyers of the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR). 55 This
is the first case ever examined by the ECtHR in relation to a complaint of pushback in the Evros region
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
UNHCR, Operational Data Portal, Greece, Sea Arrivals Dashboard December 2025 available at:
https://bit.ly/3WubNsb
UNCHR, Operational Data Portal, Mediterranean Situation: Greece, available at: https://bit.ly/3WubNsb
See also GCR, GCR’s Information Note on interventions and on interim measures granted by the ECtHR in
cases regarding pushbacks, 12 January 2026 update, available at: https://tinyurl.com/24yr7rae.
UNCHR, Operational Data Portal, Mediterranean Situation: Greece, available at: https://bit.ly/3WubNsb.
Refugee Support Aegean “At least 98 refugees dead or missing at Greece’s maritime borders in 2025: 28
fatal incidents, including 16 shipwrecks”, 16 March 2026, available at: https://tinyurl.com/3amhkzsm.
ECtHR, A.R.E. v. Greece (Application no. 15783/21), 7 January 2025, available in French here.
ECtHR Press Release, “Pushback” of Turkish national to Türkiye without examining risks she faced on her
return was in breach of Convention, 7 January 2025, available here ; GCR Press Release, ECtHR Judgment
v. Greece - Greece condemned for the first time by the European Court of Human Rights for a pushback in
Evros, 7 January 2025, available here. See also, Video of the Press conference held by GCR, 16 January
2024, available here.
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