Athens, dEC 14, (dpa/gna) – One body was recovered and about 200 migrants were rescued, in four separate rescue operations, conducted within a few hours in Greek waters overnight, the coastguard reported on Saturday.
Dozens of people are still missing, after three boats ran into trouble at about the same time off the island of Gavdos to the south of Crete, it said.
One of the boats, a wooden dinghy, capsized, with 39 aboard rescued and one body was found.
Two helicopters and a plane joined the rescue operation, alongside coastguard patrol boats.
A video published by the Kathimerini newspaper, showed the parts of the rescue operation.
The passengers reported that dozens more people were believed to have been aboard, according to the newspaper. Rescue efforts were ongoing to locate them.
A total of 68 people were rescued in two separate operations near Gavdos around the same time.
Separately, a freighter, found a boat carrying migrants in distress to the south of the Peloponnese Peninsula.
The crew took the 28 passengers on board, and brought them to the port of Kalamata.
Greek authorities frequently rescue migrants attempting dangerous crossings from Turkey or Libya in overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels.
According to the UN refugee agency, nearly 58,000 migrants have arrived in Greece this year, compared to 49,000 in 2022.
Reception camps on islands like Samos and Lesbos are nearing their capacity of 14,000, currently housing about 11,000 people.
gna