Hundreds of people are still feared missing after a type of fishing boat known for being like a 'floating coffin' tried to transport migrants from Libya to Italy but capsized and sank off the Greek coast.
— Rescue workers transferred the bodies of dead migrants to refrigerated trucks as a major search continued Thursday for possible survivors of a sea disaster in southern Greece. Hundreds of people are still feared missing.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said she was"deeply saddened" by the tragedy and promised to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and nearby countries to try to further crack down on migrant smugglers. "The chances of finding are minimal," retired Greek coast guard admiral Nikos Spanos told state-run ERT television."We have seen old fishing boats like this before from Libya: They are about 30 meters long and can carry 600-700 people when crammed full. But they are not at all seaworthy. To put it simply, they are floating coffins."
An aerial photograph of the vessel before it sank released by Greek authorities showed people crammed on the deck. Most were not wearing life jackets. Greece's coast guard said it was notified by Italian authorities of the trawler's presence in international waters. It said efforts by its own ships and merchant vessels to assist the boat were repeatedly rejected, with people on board insisting they wanted to continue to Italy.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain Cava prices IPO at $22 a shareMediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain Cava Group on Wednesday priced its initial public offering of 14.4 million shares at $22 a share.
Read more »
Opinion: Social media users don't need more highlight reels. It's time for influencers to get real.Opinion: Social media users don't need more highlight reels. It's time for influencers to get real. [Opinion]
Read more »
Rescue underway after boat carrying migrants capsizes near GreeceJUST IN: Rescue efforts are underway after a fishing vessel carrying migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, about 54 miles off the coast of Greece.
Read more »
Greece: 32 migrants dead, more than 100 rescued after fishing vessel capsizesAuthorities say at least 32 people have died after a fishing boat carrying dozens of migrants capsized and sank off the southern coast of Greece. A large search and rescue operation is underway. Authorities said 104 people have been rescued so far following the incident early Wednesday some 75 kilometers (46 miles) southwest of Greece’s southern Peloponnese region. The Greek coast guard says it's unclear how many passengers might remain missing at sea after the 32 bodies were recovered. The Italy-bound boat is believed to have sailed from the Tobruk area in eastern Libya. The Italian coast guard first alerted Greek authorities and Frontex about the approaching vessel on Tuesday.
Read more »
59 dead, 104 rescued after boat carrying migrants capsizes near GreeceLATEST: At least 32 people are dead, while 104 have been rescued after a boat carrying migrants capsized and sank in the Mediterranean. Unconfirmed early estimates put hundreds of migrants -- perhaps as many as 650 -- on board when the boat began to sink.
Read more »
Capsized Fishing Boat Leaves 32+ Migrants Dead Off GreeceIt’s not clear how many people were on board at the time of the disaster, or how many more may be missing at sea.
Read more »