Greece’s coast guard released dramatic footage Monday of a European Union border agency vessel sinking off the island of Kastellorizo after a high-stakes rescue saved five people, including Estonia’s ambassador to Greece.
The Estonian patrol boat, operating under a Frontex mission, reportedly struck a reef and capsized at approximately 4:20 p.m. while maneuvering outside the port of Megisti.
On board were Ambassador Karin Rannu—visiting the unit—along with three Estonian crew members and a Greek liaison officer.
Rescue teams, including a private catamaran and a Greek patrol boat, pulled all five occupants from the water.
Four were subsequently airlifted by a Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter to a hospital on the nearby island of Rhodes.
Estonian officials confirmed that Mrs. Rannu sustained minor injuries and has since been discharged.
However, two Estonian border guards remain in serious but stable condition with head and internal injuries. The Greek officer was treated for an eye injury sustained during the vessel's rapid submergence.
"The circumstances are being established, but we know the crew managed to escape the hull independently before calling for aid," said Veiko Kommusaar, head of border management for Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board.
The sinking occurred amid a surge in regional maritime activity driven by heightened security protocols in the Eastern Mediterranean. Local port authorities have launched a formal inquiry to determine if technical failure or navigational error led to the collision with the reef.