Greek Coast Guard boats have recovered 17 bodies of illegal immigrants who were trying to enter Greece in a sea region of the northern Aegean Sea close to the island of Samothrace and the borders with Turkey, Greek authorities said on Friday.
Among the 17 dead are 12 men, four women and a 2-year-old boy. His body is the latest recovered so far. The searches are continuing in the area.
Greece's Coast Guard officials believe that the migrants found a tragic death after the sinking of a smugglers' vessel that probably occurred on New Year's Eve.
As tragedies like this have become a familiar phenomenon for Greek authorities in the Aegean Sea in recent years, the smuggling of illegal immigrants from Turkey has evolved into a serious argument between Athens and Ankara.
Greece, an EU member state, has recently asked Brussels for help, including financial support, in the efforts to confront the smugglers.