NEWS

Greece rescues 751 at sea in latest 24 hours

Greece rescues 751 at sea in latest 24 hours

The latest on the European migrant crisis (all times GMT): 0833 GMT Greeces coast guard says it has rescued hundreds of migrants or refugees at sea as they attempted to reach Greek islands clandestinely from the nearby Turkish coast.

The coast guard says it had picked up 751 people in 19 incidents between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning off the coasts of the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Agathonissi, Farmakonissi, Kalymnos and Symi. The figures do not include the hundreds more who reach the islands' shores each day.

With its massive coastline and proximity of its islands to the Turkish coast, Greece is the main point of entry into the European Union for a stream of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia. More than 200,000 people have reached Greece so far this year.

[AP]

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