Dozens of people are missing after a boat carrying migrants sank near the Greek holiday island of Rhodes.

A spokesman for the coastguard told Greek radio on Wednesday that 29 people have been rescued from the sea so far.

The spokesman added, however, that those who survived said a total of around 80 people were on board the boat when it sank some 40 nautical miles (74 kilometres) south of Rhodes.

The rescue operation in the Aegean Sea was being hampered by strong winds, he said.

Participating in the search and rescue are coastguard patrol boats, a Greek navy ship, three passing freighters and a helicopter.

Most of the rescued people, all men, are from Afghanistan, according to the coastguard.

The boat had started in Turkey and was supposed to take the people to Italy.

Along this long and, because of the winds, dangerous route, the often outdated boats are often damaged.

This year, several boats have already become manoeuvrable, leaked or run aground.

People have also lost their lives in the process. 

(dpa/NAN)