11 drowning refugees rescued by Israeli yacht

The refugees were clinging to a capsized rubber dinghy near the Greek island of Kastellorizo

11 refugees, cast adrift in the Mediterranean, have been rescued by an Israeli yacht.

Sailing near the Greek island Kastellorizo, just two kilometres off the Turkish coast, one of the sailors can be heard saying they had just 'discovered a man in the sea.'

11 Syrian and Iraqi refugees were rescued in total, including a mother carrying the body of her dead six-month-old baby.

The group was missing three of its members, including a pregnant woman and two men. Their bodies were later found by Greek authorities in the water.

Once ashore, Greek authorities detained one man, after the survivors informed them he was the trafficker.

The yacht had been on a routine training activity as part of a civilian navigation school.