Boats carrying 179 people in distress

Three boats carrying a combined total of about 179 people have been reported in distress south of Crete, with migrant rescue hotline Alarm Phone warning that some passengers are facing strong winds and water entering their vessels.

According to a post on X by Aegean Boat Report, Alarm Phone issued three separate distress alerts involving boats believed to be carrying approximately 59, 70 and 50 people.

The organisation said about 59 people reported that water was entering their boat before contact with them was lost. As of the latest update, there had been no confirmation that a rescue operation had been launched or that the group had been located.

In another case, relatives of approximately 70 people reported losing contact with their boat several hours earlier.

Alarm Phone said it remained in contact with a third group of about 50 people who were struggling against strong winds while water was also entering their boat. The passengers were reportedly extremely frightened.

The Hellenic Coast Guard has been informed of all three emergencies and urged to launch immediate search-and-rescue operations.

The latest alerts come days after a separate shipwreck in the same wider area involving a boat carrying 77 people that was found partially submerged. Fifty-one people survived, one person was confirmed dead and about 25 others remained missing and were feared drowned.

Aegean Boat Report said there was still no confirmed information that any of the three groups reported on Wednesday had been rescued.

It called for the immediate location and rescue of everyone on board, warning that potentially 179 lives could be at risk.

The organisation said it would provide further updates as information becomes available.