A total of 41 migrants were rescued after a dinghy capsized southeast of Leros island on Sunday, not including the bodies of a woman and a child recovered from the sea.
A search and rescue operation by the Port Authority on Sunday found the 41 in an inaccessible part of the Southeast Aegean island and transported them to the island. Six children and two adults were hospitalized, while the remaining 33 migrants are being housed at Leros’ identification facility.
The total number of passengers is not known. Port Authority continued its search with three vessels and a Super Puma helicopter by sea, as well as police officers on land.
Commenting on the operation, Shipping and Island Policy Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis commended the Port Authority and Coast Guard, as well as the Air Force, Hellenic Police, and private residents who helped.
“Unfortunately, we have for yet another time innocent victims who lost their lives because of the criminal stance of human traffickers,” who he said “start off from Turkey, under the tolerance of Turkish authorities.”
(Story updated with total rescued, minister’s comments)
