Migrant boat bound for Italy runs ashore on Greek island during storm

A boat carrying 29 migrants washed ashore on the western Greek island of Kefalonia in stormy weather overnight, forcing its occupants to a halt as they tried to reach Italy.

A Greek coastguard official in the island town of Lixouri told newsmen on Saturday that all on board were safely taken to shelter.

“Everyone is well. They were lucky. In our area, winds were raging.

“The boat is thought to have set off from the coast of Turkey or Egypt,’’ he said, adding that 10 of the passengers were children.

Report says almost every week, migrant boats are intercepted in the waters off western Greece.