Two Turkish nationals arrested on suspicion of trafficking migrants to Greece

Two Turkish nationals, aged 51 and 23, were arrested by Greek authorities on suspicion of trafficking 15 irregular migrants to Patmos island on Monday.

Specifically, the Port Authority of Leros island and Patmos were notified by a naval observatory that a high-speed boat was moving fast in the sea north of Leros. Three Greek Port Authority vessels chased the boat - which had left the migrants on Patmos - while the latter's skipper carried out dangerous maneuvers to avoid them.

Port officials fired warning shots at the boat, which ran aground between two islets southwest of Lipsi islands. The two Turks were recognized by the 15 migrants as traffickers. The Patmos Port Authority is investigating, while the boat was transferred to the port of Lipsi.