Merchant ship rescues dozens of migrants from yacht in distress off southern Greece

ATHENS, Greece — A merchant ship has rescued dozens of migrants from a yacht in distress off the southwestern coast of Greece, Greek authorities said Thursday.

The coast guard said about 70 migrants were on the vessel, and there were no reports of anyone being in ill health. The migrants were being taken to the southern Greek port of Kalamata.

The rescue took place some 15 nautical miles (17 miles) off the southwestern village of Koroni, the coast guard said.

There was no information immediately available on the nationalities of the migrants, or on where they had left from.

Typically, smuggling gangs cram dozens of migrants into yachts that leave Turkey for Italy, traveling through the central Aegean Sea. Each passenger is charged several thousands dollars for the trip.

The route skirts eastern Aegean waters that are heavily patrolled by Greece's coast guard for small migrant boats leaving the Turkish coast for the nearby Greek islands.