Greek coast guard and Frontex patrol boats on Tuesday recovered three bodies and rescued 56 individuals in the waters 15 nautical miles south of the small and remote island of Gavdos, in the Libyan Sea, after a suspected migrant boat overturned in rough seas.

The “southern route” now used by migrant smugglers operating from eastern Libya and targeting Gavdos and the large island of Crete to the north – the nearest EU territories to the strife-plagued North Africa country –accounted for 133 incidents and the arrival of 7,051 third country nationals until late June this year. Arrivals continued even after Athens announced, drafted and ratified stricter measures for granting asylum and dealing with rejected asylum seekers.

Sea and rescue operations, including a helicopter, were continuing the late afternoon before dusk.

Winds of 6 to 7 on the Beaufort scale were reported in the sea region.

No information was given on the nationalities of the irregular migrants, ages or gender.