3 dead, 53 rescued as migrant vessel capsizes in Greece

Athens, Sep 15 At least three people died and 53 others were rescued after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the waters off Greece's Crete island, the country's Coast Guard said in a statement.

A search and rescue operation continued with the participation of a Navy frigate, Air Force helicopter, and ships sailing near the accident site about 12 nautical miles from the island, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying on Monday.

The nationalities of the victims and the rescued people have not been revealed.

The number of migrants in the boat also remains unclear.

Since 2015, more than one million people have reached Greece risking their lives at sea fleeing war zones and extreme poverty, while hundreds perished in the waters.

Currently, about 100,000 asylum seekers are stranded in Greece, after the closure of borders along the Balkan route in 2016.

( With inputs from IANS )