Greek authorities say the death toll from a migrant boat found south of Crete has increased to 14.
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Greek authorities say they recovered 13 bodies from a boat carrying migrants found sailing south of Greece’s island of Crete early Monday, and one of the 18 other people rescued later died at a health centre in Crete.
The coast guard said there was no immediate information available on the identities or nationalities of those on board, or what caused the deaths.
The boat with casualties was found about 15 nautical miles (about 28 kilometres) south of southern Crete early Monday.
Coast guard officials initially said they recovered 12 bodies from the vessel, while a passing Morocco-flagged cargo ship rescued the other 18 people on board and they were transported to Crete.
Officials later revised the number of bodies recovered to 13.
The coast guard said four of the 18 people rescued were transported to local health centres in Crete, including one who was already unconscious when an ambulance arrived; the health centre later confirmed that person had died.
Separately on Monday morning, the coast guard said more than 180 other people were found on three other boats heading across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Crete.
It said one of those boats was carrying about 47 people, another had about 40 people on board, and a third had around 100 people.
The coast guard said those three boats were spotted by aircraft or drones from the European Union’s border agency Frontex, and the people aboard were due to be taken to Crete.
Greece is one of the main entry points into the 27-nation EU for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
In recent months, thousands have made the perilous sea crossing from North Africa, usually from Libya to Crete, while others take a shorter but often dangerous route from Turkey to nearby Greek islands in the Aegean Sea in unseaworthy inflatable dinghies or other small boats.
Last month, 12 people, including an infant, died when two boats travelling from Turkey to the islands of Lesbos and Samos capsized.
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