A major rescue operation was launched in the Mediterranean on Tuesday (November 25) after a freighter ship, thought to be carrying some 700 migrants, reported engine failure.<br /><br />Four merchant ships, a Greek navy frigate and an air force rescue helicopter were sent to the area to evacuate the vessel if necessary. The ship is currently being towed to nearby Crete.<br /><br />Greece is a popular entry point into Europe for thousands of undocumented migrants from Asia and Africa. <br /><br />In September Athens warned that it was slipping into a “danger zone” without adequate funds or resources to handle the growing number of refugees from war-torn nations such as Syria and Iraq.
