Around 90 more people could have reached a rocky island, said a spokesman for the coast guard on Friday. The accident occurred on Thursday evening near the small island of Antikythera. The Greek coast guard has started a rescue operation to bring the migrants to safety.
On Wednesday, three migrants drowned in the sinking of another boat in the Aegean Sea near the island of Folegandros. Dozens of people who were on board this boat were still missing on Friday.
Migrants keep trying to get from the Turkish Aegean coast or from other states in the east of the Mediterranean to the Greek mainland or Italy. Greek Coast Guard officers estimated that around 11,000 people had managed to reach Italy on this route in the past few months. There is no official information on how many people were killed.
The migrants undertake this dangerous journey because they want to avoid having to stay in the registration camps on the islands in the east of the Aegean for long periods of time when crossing from Turkey to Lesbos, Chios or other Greek islands. However, due to the long journey through the Mediterranean south or north of Crete, machine damage or leaks often occur on the often outdated boats that people smugglers sell to people.
Source: Nachrichten
