24 April 2017•Update: 24 April 2017
By Idyli Tsakiri
ATHENS
Sixteen refugees died and a dozen more are missing after a boat carrying them from Turkey to Lesbos sank in the Aegean, the Greek authorities confirmed on Monday.
According to the Greek Maritime Ministry, a boat carrying migrants and refugees left Turkey late on Sunday night but appeared to have sunk after entering Greek waters.Frontex -- the EU’s border security agency -- and the Greek authorities have recovered the bodies of six women, two men and a child, a total of nine victims.Two women -- one of them pregnant -- have been rescued and transported to the island.The Turkish coast guard has recovered the bodies of seven more people -- six men and one child.
One of the rescued women told the Greek authorities about 25 people had been on board, ministry sources told Anadolu Agency.A search-and-rescue operation is ongoing with coast guards, private and Greek navy crafts, as well as Frontex boats and a helicopter taking part.
