Air Force helicopter rescues two at sea in incident involving migrant boat

A Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter assisted in the rescue of two persons fallen into the sea from a migrant vessel, which was carrying a total of 40 undocumented migrants, the HAF General Staff announced on Sunday, releasing a video (https://youtu.be/ztya9H2mkv0) of the two rescues.

The rescue operations were carried out in waters west of the island of Samos on Saturday, after the Samos Coast Guard was informed that there were persons fallen overboard near Plaka beach on the island.

A search involving Coast Guard patrol boats and the Air Force Super Puma was launched. The helicopter found one person adrift in the sea and collected the second from a rocky location, flying them to Chios to deliver them to the Chios police. Another 38 individuals were located as well, of which 26 were found by the coast guard and 12 by the fire brigade and police.

The Samos port authority is carrying out a preliminary investigation.

AMNA