The number of dead illegal immigrants has risen to 78 after a fishing boat was shipwrecked off Pylos in international waters. So far there have been 104 rescued, with the information stating that there were around 700 people on board.

However, according to an estimate by the Coast Guard, based on the size of the vessel, it could have been carrying hundreds of people, but not 700.

The first of the rescued migrants arrived shortly after 12 noon in Kalamata by a luxury yacht that took them to the port of the city with the information stating that there were at least eight pregnant women and several children on board.

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Seventeen dead is the tragic toll so far after the sinking of the fishing vessel in the sea area of 47 nautical miles southwest of Pylos.

A large operation to locate survivors is underway in the area and so far the rescued reach the number of 104 and are being transported to Kalamata.

None of the rescued had a life jacket.

According to protothema.gr information from Hellenic Coast Guard, the boat was carrying a large number of illegal immigrants.

The fishing boat sank immediately. Officials of the Coast Guard estimate that the number of such incidents will increase.

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The boats are old and many of them poorly maintained, while the number of passengers is much higher than allowed.

Since early morning, the acting Minister of Shipping, and former head of the Coast Guard Theodoros Kliaris, the head of the Coast Guard Giorgos Alexandrakis have been at the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center of the Hellenic Coast Guard, coordinating the rescue operation.