At least 22 migrants die off Greek coast after six days at sea

 Twenty-two migrants have died ​off the coast of Greece ⁠after spending six days at sea in a rubber boat, the Greek coast guard ‌said in a statement late on Friday.

Twenty-six people were ‌rescued by a Frontex ‌European ⁠border agency vessel off the island ⁠of Crete.

“During the journey, the passengers (of the rubber boat) lost their orientation and remained ​at sea for ‌six days without water and food,” it said.

Rescued migrants told authorities that 22 of them died while at ‌sea and the bodies were ​thrown overboard on the orders of one of the traffickers, ⁠the statement said.

Greece has long been a favoured gateway to Europe ‌for migrants and refugees from the West Asia, Africa and Asia.

In 2015-16, it was at the frontline of Europe’s migration crisis and nearly one million people landed ‌on its islands, mainly from Turkey.

Many are still ​attempting to cross the Mediterranean sea in boats and accidents ⁠are not rare.

Greece has since toughened ⁠its stance on migrants, reinforcing border controls with fences and sea ‌patrols.