Greek coastguard rescues 85 undocumented migrants in Aegean Sea
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
Greece’s coastguard on Thursday rescued a group of 85 undocumented migrants including women and children from a sailing ship in the southeastern Aegean Sea
“The migrants are currently being transferred to other vessels and will be taken to the island of Astypalaia,” a coastguard spokeswoman said.
Coastguard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos had earlier recounted that the rescue process had been complicated by hail and high winds.
“We gave them food and water and they are not in danger,” Lagadianos noted.
The nationalities of the immigrants were not immediately clear.
Greece is one of the main ports of entry into the European Union for migrants and refugees fleeing war-torn and impoverished countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.
Refugee traffic has soared over the past year because of the ongoing war in Syria. Arrivals by sea have increased owing to stricter controls on the Greek-Turkish northern land border.
Related items
- Arrest of Turk for setting fires 'raises questions about Evros', Kikilias says
- The Greek-American who drove the NCAA "crazy" gets a Greek passport and dreams of Olympiakos or Panathinaikos
- Defense Min meets with Chicago Council of Global Affairs, HALC head Zemenides
- Princess Kako of Japan attends celebration of 125th anniversary of Greek-Japanese diplomatic relations
- Tuesday deadline for sending off postal votes for voters abroad
Latest from E.Tsiliopoulos
- Arrest of Turk for setting fires 'raises questions about Evros', Kikilias says
- The Greek-American who drove the NCAA "crazy" gets a Greek passport and dreams of Olympiakos or Panathinaikos
- Ecumenical Patriarch: The sacredness of human beings must become a priority in the world today
- Defense Min meets with Chicago Council of Global Affairs, HALC head Zemenides
- Princess Kako of Japan attends celebration of 125th anniversary of Greek-Japanese diplomatic relations