In the rescue and recovery of 36 migrants who were on a sailing boat in the sea area west of Akrotiri Tainaros, a cargo ship with the flag of Italy proceeded yesterday afternoon, under the coordination of the Unified Center for Search and Rescue Operations of the Ministry of Shipping.

According to the coastguard, a coastguard vessel sailed to the scene of the incident, while those selected include 19 men, 4 women, 9 minor boys and 4 minor girls.

The cargo ship docked in Kalamata while the migrants who are in good health were disembarked in a boat and taken to the port.

In the meantime, a patrol boat of the coastguard spotted last night 19 migrants who had disembarked earlier from a speedboat on the island of Panagia Oinousso.

According to the port authority, the operator of the speedboat tried to escape but a chase ensued and the boat was stopped and a 25-year-old foreigner was arrested.

The migrants, 13 men, 4 women and 2 boys, boarded another coast guard patrol boat that went to the scene to provide assistance and were safely transported to the port of Chios.