At least four persons drowned and 12 others were missing when a boat carrying illegal immigrants capsized overnight near the eastern Aegean Sea island of Samos, Greek radio reported Saturday, according to DPA. Three refugees managed to reach the Samos shoreline safely and alert the authorities, the radio said. Rescue teams recovered four bodies on a remote beach of the island, while the search continued for 12 further missing persons. The nationalities of the refugees were not disclosed, other than that they came from various Middle Eastern states. Two weeks ago, two refugees drowned off the coast of Samos and five others went missing. The eastern Aegean Sea is often used as an escape route by Middle Eastern refugees seeking to reach and gain asylum in European Union member Greece.
