Athens - Some 580 illegal immigrants held at a reception centre on the eastern Aegean island of Samos began a hunger strike Wednesday to protest their possible deportation, local media said.

The immigrants are also demanding travel documents be issued more promptly so they can travel to Athens and then make their way to other destination in western Europe.

The immigrants began their action in response to 26 illegal immigrants being deported to Turkey earlier in the week.

Samos is a major transit point for migrant smugglers operating from nearby Turkey from where thousands of migrants have attempted to gain access to the European Union via Greece.(dpa)