A fishing boat with a large number of migrants on board was safely towed to the Cretan port of Paleochora, Hania on Tuesday, accompanied by a Hellenic Navy frigate and a Coast Guard patrol vessel. The boat was towed by an Italian-flagged fishing boat that took part in the search-and-rescue operation.

According to the passengers, who called the European emergency number 112, roughly 500 individuals were on boat. A search-and-rescue operation was immediately launched.

The fishing boat was located in the sea area 18 nautical miles south of Paleochora.