Athens - Two people were killed and seven others were rescued by coast guard officials after a boat carrying illegal immigrants from Turkey sank as they were attempting to cross to the Aegean island of Samos, reports said Monday. The Greek Ministry of Merchant Marine said one man and a child were found dead after their wooden vessel sank in gale force winds near the area of Kotsikas, Samos.
Two coast guard vessels and a rescue helicopter continued to search the area and plucked seven people safely from the water. Vessels continued to search the area for one more passenger still believed missing after the sinking.
In an unrelated incident, coast guard vessels discovered the bodies of two illegal immigrants near the northern Aegean island of Mytilini.
Thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross into the European Union via Greece, namely from neighbouring Turkey, the Middle East and Africa.
