Migrant boat sinks in Greece, 2 dead, 16 missing
Athens: 2 dead and 16 missing after migrant boat capsizes off Greek coast
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According to the foreign news agency, a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Aegean Sea near the Greek island of Lesbos. There were 36 people on board the boat, out of which 18 migrants were rescued.
A boat from the Turkish coast ran aground on the rocky shores of Agios Georgios, east of Lesbos, in strong winds at 3am local time.
According to Coast Guard officials, they have found 18 migrants who managed to get off the boat while two bodies were also found in the sea near the shore. After the boat capsized, 16 other people were scattered and are still missing.
Coast Guard patrol boats were unable to search the sea due to a ban on sailing due to bad weather.
The island of Lesbos is one of the entry points for migrants wishing to enter the European Union. Greece has stepped up patrols in the Aegean Sea with the help of Frontex, the EU's border protection agency.