The bodies of seven men, including a young teenager, have been found in the sea or washed up on shore near the northern port of Alexandroupolis over the past few days.

Police believe they were illegal immigrants traveling in a small craft that sank southeast of the northern Greek port.

The first body was found by fishermen pulling in their nets on Thursday. On Sunday another four bodies were washed ashore between the Evros River delta and Alexandroupolis. Another was found on the seashore yesterday morning and a seventh was later found by another fishing boat in the same area. Documents found on two of the bodies identified them as Iraqi nationals.

At least 58 people drowned last year trying to reach Greece from the coast of Turkey. During the first eight months of this year, 8,880 people were caught trying to enter the country by sea.