The Hellenic Coast Guard conducted all-night efforts to locate and rescue migrants after two shipwrecks off Lesvos and Kythera. Efforts are ongoing on Thursday morning.

Unfortunately, so far in Lesvos, 15 bodies of women have been recovered, 9 people have been rescued, while it seems that three are trapped in a steep rocky area. At the same time, search parties have extended efforts from sea to land in order to locate migrants who might have managed to land ashore.

According to the first information, 40 people were on board the boat that sank.

Strong winds of up to 7 Beaufort are blowing in the area of ​​the fatal accident, which makes the work of rescuers and the Coast Guard even more difficult.

15 women dead

Nikos Kokkalas, spokesperson of the Coast Guard, spoke to the MEGA television and informed the public that the rescue operations in Lesvos and Kythira are still ongoing. Most fatalities have been registered on Lesvos where 15 bodies have been recovered, while 9 women have been rescued in total.

The press representative clarified that all the rescued are women but the bodies recovered were also women. According to information, it is a boat with 40 people and possibly some people have landed ashore and fled to the north side of the island.

Large scale operation in Kythira

Meanwhile, at least 80 migrants have been rescued so far after a sailboat crashed and sunk in a sea cliff area, in Diakofti, Kythira.

According to the information the authorities have so far, 95 people were on board the boat.

The Coast Guard's search for missing persons continues under adverse conditions, with winds of 8 to 10 Beaufort.

At the scene are a ship that was nearby when the distress call was sounded, a Navy helicopter, officials from the relevant Port Authority, police and fire brigade officials as well as volunteer rescuers.

A Coast Guard open sea vessel, a Special Missions Echelon of the Coast Guard and a team of the Underwater Missions Unit are moving there.

The location of the shipwreck in Kythira

They're collecting corpses in Lesvos

According to the occupants of the boat that sank in Lesbvos, there were about forty people on board. So far nine people have been rescued and fifteen bodies have been recovered, while three are stranded in a rocky outcropping while there are fears that the death toll may rise.

Image from Kythira

Dramatic moments in Kythira

Dozens of migrants experienced dramatic moments after their sailboat sank in Kythira, after hitting a rocky precipitous area in the Diakofti sea area.

So far, there are 80 rescued migrants in Kythira while there is great anxiety as according to the latest information from the port, there were about 95 people on board.

It is noted that a passenger notified via emergency hotline 112 that the boat is in a difficult position and spoke of about 95 people on it.

Reports of the dead
Nearby ships, a Navy helicopter, officials of the relevant Port Authority, police and fire brigade officials and volunteer rescuers rushed to the area.

Also, a high seas ship of the port corps, a Special Missions Team (KEA) and a team of the Submarine Missions Unit of the Coast Guard are also rushing.

According to kythera.news, the shipwreck occurred one nautical mile east of the Makrykythera bridge.

According to some information  there were people calling for help, while bodies were seen in the sea.

A rare shipwreck of the classical ερα was brought to light by the seabed surveys carried out by the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) in Kythira, in the context of the works of the electricity interconnection of Crete with the Peloponnese.

According to the preliminary results of the research conducted by the Ephorate of Marine Antiquities and the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (ELKETHE) with funding from IPTO, the shipwreck which was located at a depth of 222 meters dates from the late 5th to the middle of the 4th c. e.g.

Amphoras originating from Corfu, Skopelos, and Chios were identified among the cargo of the sunken ship, a fact that indicates a developed commercial activity in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea. The completion of the 3D rendering of the wreck, which is in progress, is expected to give an even clearer picture of the size of the ship and the volume of its cargo.

In order for the findings of the archaeological treasure to be highlighted and utilized in the best way for the benefit of society as a whole, IPTO has announced its intention to support possible initiatives to collect or expose the findings at the discretion of the authorities.

With this contribution, the Administrator reaffirms once again the public benefit nature of its projects and the multiple benefits they bring to society and the environment with respect to the history and tradition of the country.

re have announced the discovery of more treasures from the legendary shipwreck Mentor in Kythera, which includes chess pieces, tobacco pipes, vials, and even a toothbrush as uncovered by marine archaeologists at the underwater excavations.