ATHENS, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- A man lost his life after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Crete in southern Greece Friday night, Greek authorities reported on Saturday.
According to a press release from the Hellenic Coast Guard, 33 people were rescued, while a rescue operation remained underway as the exact number of individuals on board at the time of the incident was still unknown.
The nationalities of the migrants and the boat's route had yet to be determined.
In three separate incidents between Friday evening and Saturday morning, a total of 163 people were rescued in waters off Crete and the Peloponnese peninsula, also in southern Greece, the Hellenic Coast Guard said.
Since 2015, Greece has been a key entry point for irregular migrants and refugees entering the European Union, with over one million arrivals recorded during this period. Tragically, hundreds have lost their lives at sea attempting these perilous journeys. ■
