A large search and rescue operation has been launched off the southern coast of Greece after a fishing boat carrying dozens of migrants capsized and sank.
Authorities said 104 have been rescued so far following the nighttime incident that occurred early Wednesday some 75 kilometers (46 miles) southwest of Greece's southern Peloponnese region. Four of the survivors were hospitalized with symptoms of hypothermia.
Six coast guard vessels, a navy frigate, a military transport and an air force helicopter, as well as several private vessels, were taking part in the search for others believed to be missing.
The Italy-bound boat is believed to have sailed from the Tobruk area in eastern Libya. Greek authorities and the EU border protection agency Frontex were first alerted about the approaching vessel by the Italian coast guard on Tuesday.
Smugglers are increasingly taking larger boats into international waters off the Greek mainland to try to avoid local coast guard patrols.
On Sunday, 90 migrants on a US-flagged yacht were rescued in the area after they made a distress call.
Separately Wednesday, a yacht with more than 70 migrants on board was towed to a port on the south coast of the island of Crete after authorities received a distress call.
