Freighter rescues 68 migrants from distress in Aegean Sea

A passing freighter rescued 68 migrants whose boat was in distress off the Greek island of Kalymnos on Monday morning, Greek media reported.

The people had started sailing from the Turkish coast, the TV network MEGA reported, citing the coastguard.

All of the passengers were unharmed and taken off the freighter by the coastguard to the neighboring Aegean Sea island of Leros.

They were taken to a registration camp for refugees and migrants who had entered the country illegally.

People smugglers routinely brought people on the dangerous sea journey from Turkey and North African countries to EU members Greece, Cyprus, and Italy.

Last Wednesday, some 500 people drowned when a fishing boat sank in international waters near Greece’s southern Peloponnese region.