Athens - Rescuers managed to pull 53 illegal immigrants off their sinking boat in the Aegean Sea in the early hours of Wednesday.

The migrants, of unknown origin, had send an emergency signal after their 20-metre-long ship developed a leak near the island of Milos.

A freighter managed to pull the people off their ship and is expected to reach Crete on Wednesday afternoon, the Greek coast guard said.

Tens of thousands of would-be immigrants attempt to cross into Greece every year, mainly from neighboring Turkey, risking their lives in the process. (dpa)