ATHENS, Greece: In two separate incidents highlighting the urgency of migrant crisis, two boats sank at Libya and Greece on Friday leaving scores dead and dozens missing.
While over 100 bodies were recovered off the Libyan coast, four bodies were recovered in the Mediterranean Sea south of the Greek island of Crete, authorities said.
At least 340 people were rescued from a sinking migrant boat in Greece carrying a "significant number" of people, authorities added.
The coast guard said the roughly 25-meter (82-foot) vessel off the Greek coast, which resembled a large fishing boat, had been carrying an undetermined number of people when it was located Friday half-sunk about 75 nautical miles south of Crete in international waters, and within Egypt's search and rescue area of operation.
Col. Ayoub Gassim has told The Associated Press that at least 104 bodies have been pulled out of the waters near the western city of Zwara but that the expected death toll is likely to be higher since such boats usually carry up to 125 people.
Meanwhile, Greece was sending two patrol vessels, a military airplane and three helicopters, while five passing ships were participating in the rescue operation and one more was on its way.
The coast guard said the operation was continuing to locate any potentially missing passengers from the migrant boat.
It was not immediately clear where the boat's passengers were from, or where the vessel had set off from or was heading to.
"The information we have on the number of people on board the vessel is still unclear — we've heard that there were 400 or 500 people on board, but we cannot confirm that number," Coast Guard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos said.
"There is a huge rescue effort underway."
It wasn't immediately clear where the survivors will be taken. Authorities in southern Crete said temporary shelter space — possibly sports facilities — was being sought on the island to house people if they are taken there.
Migrant smugglers have opted for more dangerous routes after a March agreement
Under that deal, those arriving on Greek islands from March 20 onwards face deportation back to Turkey unless they successfully apply for asylum in Greece, a financially troubled country few migrants or refugees want to stay in.
The deal has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of people arriving on Greek islands from Turkey.
The coast guard said it and European border patrol agency Frontex had rescued 164 people in four separate incidents Thursday off the islands of Lesbos and Chios. Before the EU-Turkey deal, thousands would arrive each day.
However, the agreement has led refugees and migrants to seek alternative routes, with many attempting the much longer and more dangerous crossing from north Africa towards Italy.
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