The bodies of 12 people have been recovered from the sea after a boat carrying migrants sank 13 nautical miles south-west of the island of Paxos in the Ionian Sea short after 9 o’ clock on Saturday morning.
Twenty-one migrants have been rescued, so far. It is not known how many people are still missing as there were reportedly more than 50 people on board.
According to local media, water flooded the boat and the passengers fell into the sea when it sank.
One of the boat passengers had reportedly alerted authorities through a mobile phone by calling the European Emergency number <112>. the passenger reported that the boat was in difficult situation.
A search and rescue operation was launched in which coast guard vessels and two Super Puma helicopters, two frigates of the Greek Navy as well as two cargo ships participate in the operation that is ongoing.
At the time of the incident the weather in the area was fair.
It is estimated that the boat was heading to Italy.
