NGOs and Greek media reported there was a dead child among the group, which police did not confirm.
"Following new information and extensive investigation a group of illegal im
The statement said the group, who included a pregnant woman, had been located "some four kilometres (2.5 miles) from the point initially declared which was outside Greek territory".
Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said the
NGOs and local media had earlier reported that dozens of people had been trapped on the island on the northern border with
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...for several days with neither country immediately assuming responsibility for them.
On Saturday, the UN refugee agency UNHCR tweeted: "We continue to be gravely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of some 40 people allegedly stranded on an islet at the Greece-Turkiye border.
"According to reports received a child has tragically already died. Unless urgent action is taken, we fear further lives remain at stake."
Mitarachi wrote on Twitter on Sunday: "we conducted repeated searches, with suitable technical means, without detecting any human presence in the islet.
"It has been confirmed that this is a point outside Greek territory so immediately we notified
Following "published articles about the presence of
Greece has repeatedly been accused of illegally turning