Athens, 19 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) - A passing freighter rescued 68 migrants whose boat was in distress off the Greek island of Kalymnos on Monday morning, Greek media reported.

The people had set sail from the Turkish coast, the TV network MEGA reported, citing the coastguard.

All of the passengers were unharmed and taken off the freighter by the coastguard to the neighbouring Aegean Sea island of Leros, where there is a registration camp for refugees and migrants who have entered the country illegally.

People smugglers routinely bring people on the dangerous sea journey from Turkey and North African countries to the EU members Greece, Cyprus and Italy.

Last Wednesday, some 500 people drowned when a fishing boat sank in international waters near Greece's southern Peloponnese region.