Coast Guard officers intercept 56 migrants off port of Astakos

A group of 56 undocumented migrants were being temporarily hosted in a municipal gymnasium in the port of Astakos in Aetoloacarnania on Monday after being intercepted on a smuggling boat by Greek coast guard officers on Sunday night.

The boat was spotted heading north towards the island of Lefkada, according to Coast Guard officers who detained 44 men, four women and eight children.

No information was available regarding the ethnic origin of the migrants.

The authorities detained two suspected smugglers.