79 killed as boat carrying migrants sinks off Greece

Athens, June 14

At least 79 persons have died and dozens are feared missing off the coast of southern Greece after a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized and sank, authorities said on Wednesday.

A large search and rescue operation was launched in the area. Authorities said 104 persons have been rescued so far following the nighttime incident some 75 kilometres southwest of Greece’s southern Peloponnese region.

20,000 dead or missing since 2014: UN

• UN has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in central Mediterranean since 2014
• Number of dead relates to bodies recovered. The figure given for the missing is often provided by survivors

Four of the survivors were hospitalised with symptoms of hypothermia. It was unclear how many passengers might remain missing at sea after the Greek coast guard reported 79 dead.

Six coast guard vessels, a navy frigate, a military transport plane, an air force helicopter, several private vessels and a drone from the European Union border protection agency, Frontex, were taking part in the ongoing search.

The Italy-bound boat is believed to have sailed from the Tobruk area in Libya. The Italian coast guard first alerted Greek authorities and Frontex about the approaching vessel on Tuesday.

At the southern port of Kalamata, dozens of rescued migrants were taken to sheltered areas set up by the ambulance services and the United Nations Refugee Agency to receive dry clothes and medical attention.

Mediterranean smugglers are increasingly taking larger boats into international waters off the Greek mainland to try to avoid local coast guard patrols. AP