Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Greece safely evacuates 48 migrants from inflatable boat off Lesbos island; vessel sinks

Migrants adrift in the Aegean Sea are rescued in this still from video Aug. 9, 2023. (Greek Coast Guard / The Associated Press) Migrants adrift in the Aegean Sea are rescued in this still from video Aug. 9, 2023. (Greek Coast Guard / The Associated Press)
Share
ATHENS, Greece -

Greek authorities said Sunday they had safely rescued 48 migrants from a rudderless inflatable boat off the island of Lesbos, close to the Turkish coast.

A coast guard vessel on patrol off the island sighted the boat Sunday morning, the Greek coast guard said in a communique.

The crew "carried out the safe evacuation and rescue of 48 foreigners, who were transported to the port of Mytilene," the island's capital, the coast guard said.

"Three of those rescued were picked up by an ambulance and taken to the General Hospital of Mytilene for the provision of first aid, where they remain hospitalized," it added.

The coast guard did not mention the ethnicities of the migrants, but a YouTube video it released shows most of them are Africans.

The packed inflatable vessel sank, the coast guard said.

Greece has seen a rise in migrant arrivals from Turkey, mostly by sea, in recent weeks amid more clement summer sailing conditions.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Toronto police say they are searching for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed his brother in an argument at a Scarborough housing complex late Saturday night.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.