The Greek coastguard and the crew of a passing freighter picked up around 100 migrants to the south-east of the holiday island of Rhodes on Wednesday morning.
Greek state radio reported that the people were on board a yacht on its way to Italy. They are to be accommodated in a registration camp on the island of Leros. The report said that all the people were well, and it was not initially clear which countries they came from.
In the summer months the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean are teeming with sailing boats and yachts of all kinds. It is therefore difficult to spot the smugglers' boats transporting migrants, according to officers of the Greek coastguard.
The often outdated boats that smuggling gangs use for the long journey from Turkey or even Lebanon to Italy frequently suffer engine damage or leaks.
This year, several yachts have been found stranded and taking in water. In June, a yacht with 100 people on board was shipwrecked, and at least eight of them could not be rescued.
