Rescue operation mounted to retrieve 120 stranded on sailboat

The Hellenic Coast Guard mounted a rescue operation on Friday to retrieve some 120 people on a sailboat roughly 43 nautical miles southwest of the town of Pylos, in the Peloponnese. The coast guard was alerted to their presence when they called the European emergency number 112, asking for help.

A Hellenic Air Force helicopter had gone up and was already over their location, while four freighters were in the vicinity and three coast guard patrol boats were on their way.

Initial reports from the coast guard indicated that the people on board were not in danger.