Boat carrying migrants capsizes off Greece, at least 78 dead

 

June 15

A fishing boat from Libya carrying migrants capsized and sank off southeastern Greece on Wednesday. Reuters and other news organizations report 78 people have been confirmed dead.

About 100 others have been rescued. They were transported to a port in southern Greece and then taken to hospital.

Local media quote Greek coast guard officials as saying about 400 people may have been on the fishing boat.

The search and rescue operation is continuing around waters where the vessel sank.

The boat is believed to have taken the so-called Central Mediterranean route for migrants from North Africa to Italy. The International Organization for Migration says more than 20,000 migrant deaths have been recorded on the route since 2014 due to boats capsizing or other causes.

NHK