The bodies of four individuals were recovered from the waters off the southern coast of Rhodes on Wednesday, while another 25 third country nationals were detected on the nearby shore, in the latest instance of a migrant smuggling from the opposite Turkish coast.
According to initial reports, the undocumented migrants told authorities that they were transported by speedboat near the isle of Prasonissi at around midnight and forced into the sea by the smugglers. Eleven of the rescued individuals were identified as minors.
The victims were identified as three men and a woman. No information was given on their nationality.
A search and rescue mission by the Greek coast guard is continuing in the region.
The Greek islands in the eastern Aegean remain a target of smuggling criminal networks ferrying third country nationals first assembled on the opposite Turkish coast, as part of the bid by the latter to reach preferred destinations in central and western Europe.
Oftentimes the clandestine attempt to reach Greek, and by extension EU territory ends in tragedy, as in the recent case off Rhodes.
Migrant smuggling around the world is estimated to be a multi-billion-euro operation on an annual basis.
