Dozens of migrants may have died in the Aegean near Rhodes

A rescue operation continues off the coast of the Greek island of Rhodes to search for minrants who went missing after their boat sank during a storm.

According to newsbeast.gr, 29 people were rescued, and in total, there were supposedly 60-80 migrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq on the ship. The rescued were taken to the island of Kos. The search for the missing migrants at the shipwreck south of Rhodes has so far been fruitless. The operation was led by the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center (ΕΣΚΕΔ) of the Coast Guard.

The video from the rescue operation over the sea at night shows the Air Force Super Puma. Helicopter rescuers reach the victim with a rope and lift him into the helicopter.

From the very first moment, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy of Greece, Yiannis Plakiotakis, was informed, who gave the order to immediately mobilize all necessary funds to save the foreigners.

The migrants started their journey three days ago from the port of Antalya in Turkey, bound for Italy, a route that has become popular with those planning to settle in Europe. Although according to initial data, there were 80 people on board, their number is not specified. On Tuesday evening, the boat sank during a storm.

According to Greek authorities, none of the migrants was wearing a life jacket. According to the International Organization for Migration, 64 people have died in the eastern Mediterranean since January, 8 of them off the Greek island of Mykonos on June 19, 108 people were rescued.