Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-12-25

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Weather Forecast - Thursday (correct day)

[02] M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S

[03] Weather Monday - Thursday

[04] Three dead, 4 missing in latest migrant-smuggling incident

[01] Weather Forecast - Thursday (correct day)

Cloudy in northern Greece and the northern Aegean on Thursday, with rain and possible snowfall in the mountainous regions forecast for the rest of the mainland. Chance of thunderstorms over the southern Aegean and Crete. East-northeasterly winds strong to gale-force strength in some localities. Temperatures between 1C and 6C in the north; 2C to 11C in the rest of the mainland and 8C to 14C on the islands.

Rain in Athens, with a possibility of snowfall in the surrounding mountains; 3C to 10C -- the same for Thessaloniki, 1C to 6C.

[02] M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S

[03] Weather Monday - Thursday

Cloudy in northern Greece and the northern Aegean on Thursday, with rain and possible snowfall in the mountainous regions forecast for the rest of the mainland. Chance of thunderstorms over the southern Aegean and Crete. East-northeasterly winds strong to gale-force strength in some localities. Temperatures between 1C and 6C in the north; 2C to 11C in the rest of the mainland and 8C to 14C on the islands.

Rain in Athens, with a possibility of snowfall in the surrounding mountains; 3C to 10C -- the same for Thessaloniki, 1C to 6C.

[04] Three dead, 4 missing in latest migrant-smuggling incident

The latest maritime accident involving migrant smuggling was reported early Wednesday morning, Christmas Day, south of Hios, with the bodies of three illegal immigrants recovered and another four missing.

According to the coast guard, the incident occurred after an inflatable craft attempting to ferry over a group of illegals from the opposite Turkish coast sank just off the eastern Aegean island. Another 14 would-be migrants were rescued, while search efforts by the coast guard and the Hellenic Navy were continuing in the early afternoon amid rough seas.

Amongst the survivors is a local man suspected of piloting the migrant-laden vessel. He was identified as Nikolaos Panagopoulos, 42.

Authorities were alerted to the sinking vessel's position, near the rocky islet Venetico, by an anonymous caller possibly using a mobile phone.

Stepped up patrolling of Greeces sea lanes has been ordered over the last few days, as migrant smugglers operating from Turkey often try to take advantage of holiday season to sneak mostly Third World nationals onto Greek or other EU countries territory.

A total of 163 illegal immigrants, mostly Kurds, were plucked from a grounded vessel late Monday night off the southwestern coast of Corfu, in the northwest Ionian Sea.

The bodies of three would-be migrants, including a child, were also recovered from the same sea region on Monday.

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