16 migrants drown off the Greek coast

Greek, 18 Mar 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Sixteen people, including at least five children, drowned on Saturday when the small boat they were on capsized in the Aegean Sea, Greek coast guard officials said.

The incident occurred off Greece's Agathonisi island. The nationality of the victims was not immediately known.

Saturday's incident was thought to be the highest death toll of migrants trying to reach outlying Greek islands for months.

Greek authorities said they believed there were 22 people on the boat. Greek coast guard vessels assisted by helicopters were searching for survivors.

"We can't tolerate (losing) children in the Aegean Sea … the solution is to protect people, to implement safe procedures and safe routes for migrants and refugees, to hit the human trafficking circuits," Greek migration minister Dimitris Vitsas said in a press release.