Greek coast guard stops migrant sailboat south of Crete

Greece’s coast guard says one of its patrol boats stopped a sailboat off coast of sourn island of Crete after it was found to have been carrying dozens of migrants.

Italian-flagged Marly h been sailing off southwestern coast of Crete when it raised suspicion and was put under surveillance, coast guard said.

It later stopped on western coast of Crete, where 11 people disembarked before vessel heed off away from island and would t respond to calls from coast guard, authorities said.

sailboat was stopped and led to a harbor in sourn Crete, where 59 migrants were found on board. Of total 70 people who h been on Marly, 13 were children and seven were women, coast guard said.

migrants were all transferred to town of Chania in rth of island.

Greece is one of main entry points into European Union for thousands of people fleeing poverty and conflict in Middle East, Africa and Asia. Most he to Aegean islands from nearby Turkish coast, but Greek authorities have said a more recent trend is for larger boats to attempt to sail south of Crete and he toward Italy.

(Representative Im)