A total of 331 people, most of them undocumented migrants from Syria and Egypt, were ferried to safety on Monday in a sea rescue operation 65 nautical miles northwest of the island of Crete.

The rescue operation was launched after the immigrant boat sent a distress signal late Sunday.

Two cargo ships and one US military vessel took part in the operation, while a coast guard vessel and a Greek frigate were also dispatched to the area from Piraeus.

The migrants, including 24 women and 40 children, were transferred to Hania aboard the Olympic Faith oil tanker.

Source: Kathimerini