Call came from passenger on cargo ship believed to be carrying between 400 and 600 migrants in Ionian Sea

Greece is sending a navy frigate and a helicopter to locate a cargo ship believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants in the northern Ionian Sea after authorities received a distress call from someone on board.

The ship, the Moldovan-flagged Blue Sky M, was sailing in poor weather near the tiny island of Othonoi, north-west of Corfu. A merchant marine ministry official said the distress call came from one of the passengers on board the ship, which is believed to be carrying between 400 and 600 migrants.

The incident comes two days after a passenger ferry, the Norman Atlantic, with more than 400 people on board, caught fire in the same area, leading to a huge rescue operation by Italian and Greek coastguard and military officials. At least 10 people died in that incident, and the search is continuing for others feared missing.

The Greek frigate Navarino, which is heading to locate the cargo ship, was in the area assisting in the rescue operation for the Norman Atlantic.