59 Migrants Dead, Over 100 Rescued After Boat Capsizes In Deadliest Shipwreck Off Greece This Year

A boat carrying migrants capsized off the Greece coast killing 32 while over 100 were rescued. As per reports, it is unclear how many were onboard the boat when the boat sank.

At least 59 migrants drowned and over a hundred were rescued early on Wednesday when their boat capsized and sank off Greece in its deadliest shipwreck this year, the country's coast guard said, as quoted by AFP. However, it remained unclear how many were on board when the vessel sank, authorities said. The shipwreck is the deadliest off Greece this year, Reuters stated in a report. The boat, which was en route to Italy, was spotted in international waters late on Tuesday by an aircraft belonging to EU border agency Frontex and two nearby vessels, said the coast guard, as quoted by Reuters. 

The coast guard said those on board had refused assistance offered by Greek authorities late on Tuesday. A few hours later, the boat capsized and sank triggering a search and rescue operation. 

As per State broadcaster ERT, the boat had sailed from the Libyan town of Tobruk with most onboard being young men in their 20s, reported Reuters. Authorities said that survivors were taken to the town of Kalamata. 

Notably, Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Reuters reported that most cross to Greek islands from nearby Turkey. However, it added, a growing number of boats also undertake a longer and more dangerous journey from Turkey to Italy via Greece. 

As per the report, around 72,000 refugees and migrants have arrived so far this year in Europe's frontline countries Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, according to United Nations data, with the majority landing in Italy, reported Reuters. 

In a similar incident, at least 103 people, including children, have been killed after an overloaded boat returning from a wedding capsized in northern Nigeria, officials said Tuesday. Rescue operations are underway as residents and police were still searching for dozens of people who were on the overcrowded boat that capsized early Monday on the Niger River in the Pategi district of Kwara state, police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi told the Associated Press. He said 100 people had been rescued so far. Local residents said the wooden boat was ferrying people across a river to Kwara state after a wedding ceremony in neighbouring Niger state when it capsized on Monday night, Reuters reported.