ATHENS, Greece — Greek authorities have recovered the bodies of four people from the sea just off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Rhodes, while another 25 people have been found alive on land after a migrant smuggler allegedly forced his passengers overboard while transferring them from Turkey to Greece, the coast guard said Wednesday. The bodies of three men and one woman were recovered near the coast on the southern tip of Rhodes early Wednesday, the coast guard said. The group of 25 survivors were found on land, with police originally locating an initial group of 11 people shortly after midnight, and the rest found afterwards. Survivors told authorities they had been traveling to the Greek island from the nearby Turkish coast by speedboat when the smuggler driving the vessel forced them overboard into the water and left, the coast guard said. It was the latest fatal case involving migrants trying to make their way into the European Union using the sea route either from the nearby Turkish coast or across the Mediterranean from North Africa.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 06, 2024 14:49 UTC