ATHENS: A Turkish-flagged cargo ship carrying about 400 migrants that had sent a distress signal on Friday has safely anchored off the Aegean island of Kos, Greece's coastguard said on Saturday. The ship was in international waters when the engine failed, according to reports.

The Greek migration and shipping ministers had contacted Turkish authorities asking them to take back the vessel, as well as the European Commission, Athens News Agency said.

"Turkey once again failed to comply with its responsibilities towards the EU," Giannis Plakiotakis, the merchant marine minister, said earlier on Saturday.

"It won't accept the return of the Turkish-flagged ship that sailed off a Turkish port, obviously with the knowledge of the Turkish coastguard and continues to have no regard for human lives."