117 migrants rescued off Greek island

A TOTAL of 117 migrants have been rescued off the western Greek island of Zante after their boat issued a mayday call.

Authorities launched a rescue operation on Saturday night after receiving the distress call.

A military plane spotted the vessel west of the island in the Ionian Sea, the coastguard said. It is not clear what the emergency was.

A lifeboat transferred the passengers to a passing cruise ship, the Island Princess, which was expected to arrive in a port on the western Greek mainland later.

Tens of thousands of migrants have arrived in Greece so far this year, usually on Aegean islands from the nearby Turkish coast, overwhelming local authorities.

Aid groups say Greece urgently needs more help from the EU to deal with the influx.