A significant search and rescue operation is underway after a ship carrying dozens of migrants capsized and sank off the coast of Greece.
They have been travelling from Turkey when their vessel overturned in tough climate in a single day between the islands of Evia and Andros.
The coast guard mentioned on Tuesday that 9 males had been discovered on an uninhabited rocky islet within the Kafirea Strait between the 2 islands, which lie east of Athens.
The survivors, who have been picked up by a coast guard patrol boat, instructed authorities there had been about 68 folks on board the crusing boat when it went down, and that they’d set off from Izmir on the Turkish coast.
Gale pressure winds have been hampering the rescue effort, the coast guard mentioned. The stretch of water the place the boat sank is notoriously treacherous, with even mild winds kicking up tough seas.
Footage of the rescue operation posted on YouTube by the Hellenic Coastguard confirmed a small group of individuals standing on rocks beneath a cliff waving for assist, and different photos confirmed waves crashing over the patrol boat in the course of the night-time search and rescue.
One of the photographs confirmed the survivors wrapped in emergency foil blankets sitting on the deck of the patrol boat.
Authorities have been alerted by a misery name within the early hours of Tuesday from passengers saying the boat was in hassle, however they did not give a location.
Weather within the space was notably tough, with gale pressure winds. The coast guard mentioned a helicopter, patrol boat and two close by ships participated within the search and rescue operation.
A separate operation has been happening since Monday off the coast of the japanese Aegean island of Samos for eight folks reported lacking after an inflatable dinghy carrying migrants overturned.
Four survivors have been rescued on Monday. A coast guard plane and patrol boat, two close by ships and a vessel from the European border patrol company Frontex have been collaborating within the search.
Thousands of individuals fleeing Africa, Asia and the Middle East try to enter the European Union via Greece yearly.
Most make the quick, steadily harmful crossing from the Turkish coast to close by Greek islands in inflatable dinghies.
Others try to avoid Greece in overcrowded sailboats and yachts heading straight to Italy.
Earlier this month, at the very least 27 folks drowned in two separate incidents. In one, 18 folks died when a ship that had set sail from Turkey sank off the island of Lesbos, whereas within the different a yacht carrying about 100 folks sank in a gale, killing at the very least 9 and leaving six lacking.
Source: information.sky.com”