Refugee boat sinks in Greece, killing 1

A man was confirmed dead after a boat carrying a number of refugees and migrants sank off the coasts of Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, the Hellenic Coast Guard said on Thursday.

A total of 47 people, including 15 men, 16 women and 16 minors, were found on a beach close to a sailboat which had sunk, according to an e-mailed press release.

They told authorities that there were over 50 people on the boat, which departed from Turkish shores.

An operation was underway to locate and rescue survivors.

Greece has been at the forefront of the refugee and migrant influx into Europe since 2015, and hundreds have perished in the Aegean Sea in the past eight years.