Greek coast guard rescue migrants in Aegean sea operation

A bro search and rescue operation was extended into Wednesday night a day after a yacht smuggling migrants partially sank in eastern Aegean Sea, Greece's coast guard said.

A total of 96 people were rescued from sea 21 nautical miles (31 kilometers, 24 miles) west of small island of Halki, near Rhodes, coast guard said.

Foot from coast guard showed emergency responders plucking migrants, including at least one young child, from sea and winching m to safety on a helicopter.

Dozens of ors were initially picked up by nearby cargo ships and n transferred to coast guard vessels.

coast guard described effort as “one of largest and most successful search and rescue operations (ever) in Aegean Sea,” ting that it took place mainly at night and that many of those rescued, including several children, h t been wearing life jackets.

Of those rescued, 72 were transported to Rhodes, five to island of Karpathos and 19 were picked up from a cargo ship by Turkish coast guard.

Those taken to Greek islands were being given coronavirus tests and housed in quarantine hotels.

Three of those rescued were arrested as suspected migrant smugglers, coast guard said.

Authorities were alerted after a passenger on board yacht me an emergency call late on Tuesday.

y scrambled helicopters, naval and coast guard vessels, and several passing merchant ships also participated in operation.

Thousands of people have been kwn to make ir way clandestinely to Greek islands from nearby Turkish coast, paying smugglers to ferry m in often unseaworthy, overcrowded inflatable dinghies or or vessels.