Three navy vessels have rescued 17 migrants, including eight minors, on the boat that set off from Turkey overnight.

It was not clear how many people the boat was carrying, authorities said.

The islands in the northeastern Aegean Sea are one of the gateways for migrants seeking to reach the European Union.

Authorities were alerted by three passengers who managed to reach the Chios coast during the night, according to the public broadcaster ERT.

More than 11,300 arrivals have been recorded on Greek islands since the beginning of this year, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees.

Around 45,000 asylum-seekers arrived in Greece in 2023, most departing from islands close to the Turkish coast. According to the United Nations, this was the highest number in four years.

In June 2023, 82 people were drowned and hundreds went missing when their ship sank off the coast of Pylos.

Several enquiries into the tragedy are still underway, with some NGOs accusing the Greek coastguard of delaying their response in coming to their aid.