Suspected migrant smuggler arrested on Lesvos; 27 migrants found

Coast guard on the island of Lesvos have located 27 migrants and arrested a suspected smuggler, after the vessel being captained by the latter collided with a patrol boat and sank.

On Monday evening, the coast guard were informed that a speedboat had been spotted coming from the Turkish coast heading towards Sykamia, in the north of the island.

It was moving at high speed and without navigation lights.

A coast guard vessel on a scheduled patrol went to the scene and saw a number of people disembark from the speedboat in the Sykamia area.

The speedboat operator, in his attempt to return to the Turkish coast, performed dangerous maneuvers and subsequently collided with the patrol boat, resulting in the sinking of the speedboat.

Police later found 27 migrants in the wider Sykamia area. They were transferred to the Kara Tepe reception facility.