Eight people have been reported dead, six of whom are children, in an ongoing migrant boat shipwreck in the sea north of Samos.
Greek police reported they found 36 survivors on land nearby, and the Hellenic Coast Guard reported they rescued 3 survivors from a rocky shore.
The Coast Guard reported they were alerted to the incident by a non-governmental organization and estimated that about 50 people were on board the vessel. The rescue operation continues with the aim of locating and rescuing the remaining missing people.
ERT journalist Charis Zavoudakis reported that the shipwreck occurred in the Plaka-Gremia Megali Panagia area, and that the exact number of people on board the boats was unknown.
The ongoing operation reportedly involves a gunboat, a lifeboat, a float of the Coast Guard, an aircraft and a helicopter of the Greek Coast Guard, as well as land forces of the Greek police.
Last month two people died in a shipwreck off the coast of Samos, and in September there was another shipwreck in which four people died, and 30 survived.
According to the IOM (International Organization for Migration), at least 1933 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea thus far this year.
The Eastern Mediterranean, in the waters between Turkey and Greece, is a common route for people fleeing war, poverty, or persecution in parts of the Middle East or Africa, attempting to reach Europe.
According to recent Frontex data, the border agency detected 45,600 border crossings along the Eastern Mediterranean route from the beginning of the year through October, in a slight increase from last year.
