Greek coast guard rescues 17 illegal immigrants in eastern Aegean

Greek coastguard officials rescued 17 illegal immigrants after the boat in which they were travelling capsized off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Samos Monday.

The immigrants, all males, told officials they had departed from the eastern shores of Turkey before their inflatable boat capsized, throwing them into the rough waters of the Aegean.

Overall, officials said more than 100 illegal immigrants, among them 25 children, were also caught sneaking into the country after arriving on the islands of Lesvos and Samos.

In a separate incident, more than 25 illegal immigrants were detained on the eastern Aegean island of Agothonisi after arriving from Turkey.

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to sneak into European Union member Greece from neighboring Turkey, mainly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.