ATHENS, Dec 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two bodies have been retrieved as a rescue operation was underway Friday night near the Aegean Sea island of Paros, after the sinking of a vessel carrying refugees and migrants, according to Greek media reports.
So far, 57 passengers have been rescued, with survivors stating that about 80 people were on board, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
This is the third deadly incident of its kind in Greek waters this week.
In the earlier incident, 11 migrants were killed when a migrant boat sank on Thursday, as scores of others, including dozens of children, were rescued following the shipwreck, the coastguard said.
The boat carrying migrants ran aground on an islet north of the Greek island of Antikythera on Thursday evening.
Eleven bodies have been recovered so far and another 90 people stranded on the islet were rescued overnight, an official from the coast guard said.
Those rescued include 27 children, 11 women and 52 men.
“The search and rescue operation continues, as it is still not clear how many were on the boat before it sank,” the official said.
Thursday’s shipwreck came the day after a dinghy carrying migrants capsized off the island of Folegandros, killing at least three people.
Thirteen people were rescued, while dozens remain missing, Greek authorities said.
Greece has been at the forefront of the refugee and migrant influx since 2015, and hundreds have perished in the Aegean Sea in the past six years. — NNN-AGENCIES
