A cargo ship flying the Italian flag, under the coordination of the Integrated Search and Rescue Operations Centre of the Ministry of Shipping, rescued and recovered 36 migrants on board a sailing vessel in the sea area west of Cape Taenaros yesterday afternoon.
According to the Coast Guard, a Coast Guard vessel sailed to the scene of the incident, while the persons picked up include 19 men, 4 women, 9 minor boys and 4 minor girls.
The cargo ship sailed to the anchorage of Kalamata while the migrants, who are in good health, were disembarked in a lorry and transported to the port.
Meanwhile, a coast guard patrol boat spotted 19 migrants who had disembarked earlier from a speedboat on the island of Panagia Oinousses last night.
According to the Coast Guard, the pilot of the speedboat tried to escape but a chase ensued and the vessel was immobilized and a 25-year-old foreigner was arrested.
The migrants, 13 men, 4 women and 2 boys, boarded another patrol boat of the coast guard that went to the spot to provide assistance and were safely transported to the port of Chios.
