59 migrants died boat capsizes in Greece coast

International Desk: At least 59 migrants drowned early yesterday when their boat capsized and sank off Greece, the country’s coastguard said.
One hundred people were rescued, but it remained unclear how many were on board when the vessel went under, authorities said. The shipwreck was the deadliest off Greece this year.
Along with navy vessels, the operation included an army plane and helicopter as well as six other boats that were in the area.
The coastguard said 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, around 50 miles (80km) southwest of the town of Pylos in southern Greece. It said those on board had refused help offered by Greek authorities late on Tuesday. A few hours later the boat capsized and sank, triggering a search and rescue operation.
“Since very early Wednesday, an extensive rescue operation is under way off Pylos, after a fishing boat capsized with a large number of migrants on board,” the coastguard said.It later said that none on board were wearing life jackets, and did not immediately disclose their nationalities.
State broadcaster ERT said it had sailed from the Libyan town of Tobruk, which lies south of the Greek island of Crete, with most on board being young men in their 20s. Their nationalities, as well as where the boat had sailed from, were not immediately confirmed by Greek authorities.
Those rescued were being brought to Kalamata, though four in serious condition were transferred by helicopter to the port’s hospital, the authorities said.
Smugglers are increasingly taking larger boats into international waters off the Greek mainland to try to avoid local coastguard patrols.
On Sunday, 90 migrants on a US-flagged yacht were rescued in the area after they made a distress call.
Separately on Wednesday, a yacht with 81 migrants on board was towed to a port on the south coast of Greece’s island of Crete after authorities received a distress call.
Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Most cross to Greek islands from nearby Turkey, but a growing number of boats also undertake a longer, and more dangerous journey from Turkey to Italy via Greece.
About 72,000 refugees and migrants have arrived so far this years in Europe’s frontline countries Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, according to United Nations data, with the majority landing in Italy.