One would-be immigrant was killed while 31 others managed to swim to a nearby beach when the boat in which they attempted to cross from Turkey into Greece sank off the island of Lesbos, Greek authorities reported, according to DPA. Local residents found the exhausted would-be immigrants and alarmed the police and coastguard, according to Greek radio. Earlier, the Greek coastguard was able to rescue one person and recover the body of another. The survivor reported that between 30 to 35 people had been on board the boat when it sank in rough waters about two kilometres off the coast of Lesbos. The Greek coastguard started a comprehensive search, which initially remained without success. Greek radio further reported that another 33 boat people had been picked up off Lesbos on Sunday. The would-be immigrants were of Middle Eastern origin. At least 120 people have died since the beginning of the year in attempts to cross the straits between the Turkish Aegean coast and the eastern Aegean Greek islands. More than 80 are still missing. Between January and October 2007, more than 7,000 would-be immigrants were picked up in the eastern Aegean.
