At least 17 people of unknown nationality are still missing after a sailboat carrying dozens of migrants sank in the Aegean Sea between the Greek islands of Agathonisi and Farmakonisi on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Greece’s Maritime Ministry, the Greek Coast Guard along with Turkish authorities launched a search and rescue operation in the Eastern Aegean Sea using a Greek Super-Puma helicopter, two Greek Coast Guard vessels, a Greek Navy ship and a Turkish patrol boat. 16 of the approximately 33 to 37 migrants from the sunk vessel have already been rescued.
“The operation is ongoing. We are still looking for 17 to 21 people,” a Maritime Ministry spokeswoman revealed about the operation’s latest developments.
During the first six months of 2015 more than 135,000 refugees and migrants from Africa and Middle East have made their way from the Turkish coast to Greek islands seeking for a better life in European Union countries, with the majority of them being Syrians.
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