One hundred and four passengers have been rescued, while a search and rescue operation was underway to locate a yet unclear number of missing, said the report.

According to an e-mailed press release by the Hellenic Coast Guard, none of the passengers had life jackets on.

The incident happened off the coast of Pylos town. Survivors told authorities the fishing boat had sailed from Libya for Italy, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported.

Greece has been at the forefront of the refugee and migrant influx since 2015, and hundreds have perished in the Aegean Sea in the past eight years.

(With UNI inputs)