Crete migrant boat sinking leaves 59 missing

Rescuers were searching off the Greek island of Crete on Thursday for 59 migrants reported missing after their boat sank, the Greek coastguard said.

Port authorities said a 23-year-old Bangladeshi man was rescued on Wednesday on the uninhabited islet of Chrissi, 15 kilometres south of Crete's southeastern coast.

According to the survivor's account cited by the coastguard, the vessel carrying him and 59 other people sank on Tuesday afternoon, throwing everyone on board into the sea.

Greek coastguard crews and an aircraft operated by the European Union border agency Frontex were involved in the search and rescue operation.

Crete has become one of the main entry points into the European Union for migrants departing from Libya and attempting the crossing to Greece.