Death toll from migrant boat tragedy off Greece's Crete island rises to four

The death toll from a migrant boat tragedy off the south coast of Crete island on Friday has risen to four, while 340 passengers have been rescued during a major operation, Greek Coast Guard officers said.

Dead bodies were recovered as hundreds of people were being evacuated from the half-sunken 25-meter wooden vessel.

Greek Coast Guard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos has refrained from giving numbers on the migrants and refugees who are believed to have been on board the ship which was located some 120 km off the port Kali Limenes.

The International Organization of Migration announced that about 700 people were estimated to be on board the vessel which sent a distress call while sailing in international waters, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. It is believed that the ship had departed from north Africa heading to Italy.

It has not still been decided where the survivors will be disembarked, Greek Coast Guard officials told Xinhua. Most of the rescued were on board a Norwegian-flagged vessel, local media reported.

The Greek Coast Guard said five vessels sailing nearby were rushed to the spot. The coordination of the operation is conducted by the Greek Shipping Ministry in Athens.

Expert said since the closing of the Balkan route to central Europe in February and the start of returns to Turkey from the Greek islands in spring, smugglers have shifted their operations from Turkish coasts to the northern African ports.

According to estimates, more than 200 refugees and migrants have reached Crete over the past month. Endit