The dead rise to 78 after a boat with migrants sank off the coast of Greece

The Greek Coast Guard confirms "an extensive search and rescue operation" in the area of ​​​​the event

The death toll after the sinking of a boat off the coast of Greece has risen to 78, according to the Greek authorities, who have added that more than a hundred people have been rescued in the area, located about 87 kilometers from the city of Pylos, in the Peloponnese region (south).

Official sources quoted by the Greek newspaper 'Ta Nea' have indicated that the ship, which would have started its journey off the coast of Libya, was carrying more than 500 people, 104 of whom have already been rescued. The operations continue in the place, given that there are dozens of missing people, so it is not ruled out that the death toll could increase in the next few hours.

Shortly before, the Coast Guard had pointed out in a statement published on its website at the start of "an extensive search and rescue operation" in the area under the coordination of the Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Center and has stressed that the authorities were informed on Tuesday about the presence in the area of ​​a boat "with a large number of foreigners on board".

In this regard, he stated that the vessel was detected by a plane from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and two ships that passed through the area, "without requesting assistance."

"In consecutive phone calls by the Operations Room to the ship to give help, a negative response was received. During the afternoon, a Coast Guard ship approached the ship to give food, although the foreigners refused the supplies and any other assistance," he said.

The Coast Guard has reported that the occupants of the boat "expressed their desire to continue their journey to Italy", while the Greek authorities remained "close to the boat for the possible delivery of aid".

"Early today, the fishing boat capsized and subsequently sank, after which an extensive search and rescue operation was immediately launched," he said, before detailing that they are participating in it. ships and planes.

The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, will travel to Kalamata in the next few hours, where the migrants rescued after the disaster will be transferred, according to the Greek newspaper 'To Vima'.

For his part, the former Greek prime minister and now the main opposition leader in Greece, Alexis Tsipras, has spoken of a "human tragedy" that "captures in the most tragic way the desperation of asylum seekers in Europe." "The moment asks us to put humanity ahead and support the survivors of the shipwreck, while we extend all efforts to locate the missing," he has settled in a message on his account on the social network Facebook.