100s feared dead after boat sinks

Packed migrant vessel capsizes off Greece with at least 79 lives lost

- RACHEL HAGAN and CHIARA FIORILLO

AT least 79 people died off the coast of Greece when a boat thought to be packed with migrants sank yesterday, though the real death toll may be in the hundreds.

Authorities said more than 100 survivors were brought to shore.

The search-and-rescue operation, set to continue overnight, involved six coastguard vessels, a navy frigate, military transport plane, air force helicopter, private vessels and a drone from the EU border protection agency.

Scores of survivors were aided by superyacht the Mayan Queen IV. It is thought the fishing boat was travelling to Italy from the Tobruk area of eastern Libya.