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8 die as migrant boat sinks off the coast of Greece

By Gul Tuysuz and Arwa Damon, CNN

Updated 0851 GMT (1651 HKT) November 17, 2015

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Discarded life jackets line the rocky shores of Lesbos, Greece on September 10, 2015.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Discarded life jackets line the rocky shores of Lesbos, Greece on September 10, 2015.
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A refugee sleeps near the port of Mytilini on September 9, 2015 in Lesbos. He's one of thousands of migrants who have landed on the island's shores, after boarding inflatable boats from Turkey.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
A refugee sleeps near the port of Mytilini on September 9, 2015 in Lesbos. He's one of thousands of migrants who have landed on the island's shores, after boarding inflatable boats from Turkey.
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Long queues form as refugees wait to receive food in a park near the port of Mytilini, Lesbos. Many arrive wet, hungry and tired after paying huge amounts of money to risk their lives on small, crowded boats.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Long queues form as refugees wait to receive food in a park near the port of Mytilini, Lesbos. Many arrive wet, hungry and tired after paying huge amounts of money to risk their lives on small, crowded boats.
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Local relief agencies work to feed the migrants before they make their onward journey. The U.N. says approximately 50 boats of migrants land on Lesbos each day, depositing from 1,500 to 3,000 new immigrants.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Local relief agencies work to feed the migrants before they make their onward journey. The U.N. says approximately 50 boats of migrants land on Lesbos each day, depositing from 1,500 to 3,000 new immigrants.
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Traffickers charge each migrant $1,350 to board inflatable boats from Turkey. Often they're overcrowded, and many take on water along the way. This boat arrived on September 9.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Traffickers charge each migrant $1,350 to board inflatable boats from Turkey. Often they're overcrowded, and many take on water along the way. This boat arrived on September 9.
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Many of the migrants have cell phones, loaded with the phone numbers of Greek rescue authorities so they can come to their aid. Facebook pages also give migrants advice on what to do when they arrive.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Many of the migrants have cell phones, loaded with the phone numbers of Greek rescue authorities so they can come to their aid. Facebook pages also give migrants advice on what to do when they arrive.
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A woman cries after arriving on the island of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey on a dinghy on September 10.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
A woman cries after arriving on the island of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey on a dinghy on September 10.
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Migrants buy tents to make their journey more comfortable. A Facebook page for refugees even tells them what sort to buy and where. Here, a migrant looks out to sea.
Photos: Migrants arrive on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Migrants buy tents to make their journey more comfortable. A Facebook page for refugees even tells them what sort to buy and where. Here, a migrant looks out to sea.
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(CNN)Eight people have died after a "plastic boat carrying refugees or migrants" overturned near the Greek island of Kos on Tuesday, the Greek coast guard said.

Two of the bodies were still trapped inside the overturned vessel, they added. Seven others were rescued.
It is not known how the boat overturned or the nationalities of the passengers, the coast guard said.
    Greece has become the main gateway to Europe for tens of thousands of refugees and migrants fleeing war and economic hardship.
    Read: Seeking refuge -- Migration Crisis

    CNN's Gul Tuysuz and Arwa Damon reported from Leros, Greece, Tiffany Ap wrote from Hong Kong.