Heraklion: Twenty-two migrants hoping to reach Europe from North Africa have died off the coast of Greece after six days at sea in a rubber boat, survivors told the Greek coast guard on Saturday. The coast guard late Friday reported that 26 people, including a woman and a minor, were rescued by a European border agency vessel off the island of Crete. The survivors included 21 Bangladeshis, four South Sudanese, and a Chadian citizen who endured the harrowing journey. According to France24.com, the survivors recounted that the bodies of those who died were thrown into the Mediterranean Sea on the orders of one of the people smugglers aboard the ship. Two survivors were taken to the hospital in Heraklion on Crete, the coastguard stated. Based on survivor statements, the boat had departed from Tobruk, a port city in eastern Libya, on March 21, heading for Greece, often seen as a gateway for migrants hoping to seek asylum in the European Union. The coastguard reported that during the journey, the passengers lost their way and were stranded at sea for six days without food or water. The bodies of the deceased were disposed of at sea on the orders of one of the smugglers. Greek authorities have arrested two South Sudanese men, aged 19 and 22, suspected to be the smugglers. They are currently under investigation for "illegal entry into the country" and "negligent homicide". The vessel carrying the group was located 53 nautical miles south of Ierapetra, a town on southern Crete. A coastguard spokesman explained that the craft had faced "unfavourable meteorological conditions" during their voyage. This, along with the lack of food and water, led to the deaths of 22 people through exhaustion. The spokesman reiterated that the bodies were thrown into the sea by the traffickers, who have been apprehended as per testimony by survivors. The number of migrants who have died attempting to reach EU soil more than doubled in the first two months of 2026, compared with last year, according to the EU border agency Frontex. These i ncidents underscore the urgent need to intensify collaborations with partner countries along migratory routes and to enhance efforts against migrant smugglers, who are primarily responsible for such tragedies, an EU commission spokesperson stated on Saturday. Data from the International Organization for Migration indicated that 559 people died in the Mediterranean during January and February, compared with 287 for the same period last year. In December, at least 18 migrants were found dead inside their boat, which was taking on water and had partially deflated, southwest of Crete. Greek authorities found only two survivors, noting that a further 15 people had drowned, with their bodies never recovered. To curb such crossings, the European Parliament recently approved a major tightening of EU migration policy, endorsing the concept of "return hubs" to send migrants to non-EU third countries. However, these proposals have faced criticism from rights groups as being inhumane.