Fishermen have discovered five more bodies of suspected illegal immigrants in the delta of the Maritsa river dividing Greece and Turkey, Greek state radio reported Tuesday.
Greek rescuers had recovered four bodies from the Maritsa, known in Greek as the Evros, on Monday. The latest discovery brings the total number of victims to nine. Officials believe they died while trying to cross the river, DPA reported.
How many people had died in total remained unclear, local radio reported. "We expect worse," said a reporter after speaking to police.
Eight bodies were discovered in the Maritsa delta in October in a similar incident.
The area around the Maritsa and the nearby Aegean Sea are popular routes for illegal immigrants trying to access the European Union.