A boatload of 93 illegal migrants plus three suspected traffickers rescued on Thursday while adrift in a wooden craft near Rafina, Greece, will be temporarily housed in an indoor basketball court, authorities announced. According to information from Greek Coast Guard sources, authorities were alerted by someone onboard the vessel that telephoned the European emergency number 112 and reported that a boat carrying roughly 85 people, including women and children, was in danger. The boat was located and two rescue boats plus a Coast Guard patrol boat were sent to the scene. The migrants were then transferred to the port of Rafina and their wooden craft was confiscated and taken to the Greek island of Karystos. A pregnant woman was taken to the local health center for a precautionary check-up but found to be in good health. Authorities do not yet know where the wooden craft set sail from and whether its destination was Greece. A final headcount showed that there were 74 men, seven women and 12 children onboard the vessel, as well as three men of Ukrainian nationality that are suspected of organizing the migrants’ transfer and are being held at the Rafina Coast Guard building for questioning. (source: ana-mpa)
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