At least 59 migrants lost their lives this Wednesday after a fishing with “an indefinite number” of people on board sank south of the Peloponnese Peninsulain the Ionian Sea, a spokeswoman for the Greek Coast Guard told EFE.
So far, 104 migrants have been rescued alive, four of whom have been transferred with hypothermia by helicopter to the hospital in the city of Kalamata. Some media indicate that in the sunken ship at least 400 people traveled.
The Coast Guard spokeswoman said that the number of people traveling on the fishing boat 30 meters in length It will be known when the survivors give their first testimonies about what happened. He also warned that “it is possible that there are still several missing“.
[Las rencillas entre Grecia y Turquía dejan a un grupo de inmigrantes atrapado varios días en una isla]
Ten vessels, a Navy frigate, a helicopter and a drone from FRONTEX, the European Union border agency, are taking part in the search and rescue operations.
The boat left from eastern Libya and His final destination was Italy.the authorities reported. The fishing vessel was located yesterday sailing in international waters south of the Peloponnese, according to the Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, south of the island of Crete, the coastguards managed to rescue another 80 migrants this morning They were on a drifting sailboat.
Last Sunday, the Greek authorities rescued in the southern Peloponnese 90 migrants that they were aboard a yacht that was adrift.
The human smuggling networks They have been using large boats, such as sailboats and fishing boats, for years to go from Turkey or Libya to the south of mainland Italy, since migrants and refugees have a easier accessthe countries of Central Europe.
