Yet another boat sinking, 300 on board

The International Organization for Migration says its Rome office has received a distress call from international waters in the Mediterranean about three boats in need of help.

The IOM says the caller reported 300 people on his boat with about 20 fatalities and said the boat was sinking. The caller provided no information on the other boats.

The IOM had no additional details, including the location of the distress call.

Earlier today, video footage and photos posted by the local news website Rodiaki of the grounding of a migrant boat off the coast of the Greek island of Rhodes on Monday show a large, wooden double-masted boat, people packed on board, just meters away from the island.

The vessel rocks wildly in the waves and passengers are seen in a photo jumping into the sea and swimming toward land.

In another video, about a dozen migrants sit on a floating piece of wreckage pushed toward the shore. Coast Guard officers and passersby jump into the waves to rescue the migrants, including a young child wearing a lifejacket.

At least three people are known to have died in the incident.

— AP