The coast guard issued a statement indicating that the man “probably” died from a gunshot wound. The shots were aimed at the boat’s outboard engine in an attempt to disable the vessel after it failed to heed warnings to stop.

An investigation is now underway, a coast guard official informed Reuters. A source familiar with the investigation revealed that a Greek prosecutor has ordered the arrest of the coast guard officer who fired the shots, as well as the confiscation of the weapon involved.

The boat, which was transporting 14 migrants—eight men, one woman, and five minors—had departed from Turkey and illegally entered Greek territorial waters, according to the coast guard.

When the boat was spotted by a coast guard patrol, it increased speed and ignored repeated visual and audio warnings. The vessel then performed risky maneuvers that posed a danger to the coastguard vessel and its crew, the coast guard added.

“Warning shots were fired to prevent an immediate risk to the coast guard vessel and its crew ... and subsequently targeted shots were fired at the outboard engine aimed at immobilizing the speedboat,” the coast guard stated.

The deceased migrant is believed to be from Kuwait. Two individuals have been arrested on suspicion of human smuggling.

Since 2015, Greece has been a major entry point into the European Union for waves of migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

In 2015 nearly 1 million people arrived on its islands, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

This year the arrivals have been rising compared to last year, intensifying the work for the Greek coast guards. For example, the number of migrants on boats traveling from Turkey to Crete reached 1000 in just the first two months of 2024, compared to 750 in the whole of 2023.