Migrants die as boats sink off Greece and Turkey

ATHENS: A boat carrying migrants from Turkey to a nearby Greek island sank on Thursday morning, leaving at least seven people dead, including three children, Greece’s coastguard said, but a search continued in what appeared to be a separate sinking in the same area, with nine people dead.

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The two accidents reportedly occurred several hours apart in the narrow strait of sea between the Greek island of Lesbos and the Turkish coast, with both sides unaware of the other nation’s rescue efforts.

Greece’s coast guard said a dinghy carrying migrants began taking on water and 25 people were rescued and the bodies of three women, two boys, one girl and one man were recovered.

The survivors were taken to a migrant camp on the island. The search and rescue operation continued into Thursday afternoon as the exact number of people who had been on board the dinghy was unclear.