At least 79 folks have died and dozens are feared lacking after a fishing boat carrying migrants sank off the coast of southern Greece, authorities have stated.

A big search and rescue operation has saved 104 folks up to now, 4 of whom have been taken to hospital with signs of hypothermia.

It was unclear what number of passengers remained lacking at sea after the Greek coast guard reported the 78 fatalities.

The incident happened final evening round 45 miles south-west of Greece's southern Peloponnese area.

Six coast guard vessels, a navy frigate, a navy transport aircraft, an air drive helicopter, a number of non-public vessels and a drone from the European Union border safety company, Frontex, are participating within the ongoing search.

At the southern port of Kalamata, dozens of these rescued had been taken to sheltered areas arrange by the ambulance companies and the United Nations Refugee Agency to obtain dry garments and medical consideration.

The Italy-bound boat is believed to have sailed from the Tobruk space in jap Libya.

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It comes as Libyan authorities launch a serious crackdown on migrants, with a number of thousand - together with Egyptians, Syrians, Sudanese and Pakistanis - detained.

Many Egyptians have been deported to their house nation via a land crossing level.

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In western Libya, authorities have raided migrant hubs within the capital, Tripoli, and different cities over the previous few weeks.

At least 1,800 migrants had been detained and brought to government-run detention centres, in accordance with the UN refugee company.