Smugglers throwing migrants off speedboats in Aegean Sea to avoid arrest, says Greek coast guard

Smugglers ferrying migrants from Turkey to Greece's eastern islands have in two cases adopted the new and dangerous tactic of knocking some passengers off their speedboats into the sea to avoid capture by pursuing coast guards, Greek authorities say.

All eight migrants were rescued in both cases, which occurred over the weekend. The incidents come as smugglers using speedboats, instead of the flimsy inflatable dinghies with small engines they favored for years, adopt increasingly aggressive tactics to dodge Greek marine patrols.

Last week, coast guards opened fire, killing one migrant, after a speedboat allegedly rammed their vessel in the eastern Aegean Sea during a chase.

The Greek coast guard said Tuesday that in one case over the weekend a Palestinian and an Afghan man piloting a speedboat also tried to ram a pursuing patrol boat off the island of Kos. It...