ATHENS, Greece -- A large-scale rescue operation was underway off a southern Greek island where a sailboat carrying up to 100 migrants sank in high winds late Wednesday, authorities said.
The coast guard said its vessels, private boats and a rescue helicopter were involved in the effort off the coast of the island of Kythira, some 225 kilometers (140 miles) south of Athens.
Officials had no immediate details on the number of people rescued and missing but said the sailboat hit rocks off the village of Diakofti on the east of the island. Winds in the area were up to 70 kph (45 mph) per hour.
Most migrants reaching Greece travel from neighboring Turkey, but smugglers have changed routes in recent months in an effort to avoid heavily patrolled waters around Greek islands near the Turkish coastline.
Kythira is some 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of Turkey and on a route often used by smugglers to bypass Greece and head directly to Italy.
