Turkey: 14 migrants drown in the Aegean Sea
At least 14 migrants died after a rubber boat sank off the coast of Bodrum, in southwestern Turkey, authorities reported on Friday.
“Two people were rescued alive, and the bodies of 14 irregular migrants were recovered,” the provincial governorate of Mugla said in a statement, following initial reports from Turkish media of seven fatalities.
One passenger managed to contact emergency services shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time (22:00 GMT). According to his account, the boat carried 18 people when it began taking on water and capsized. Among the two survivors is an Afghan migrant, who reportedly swam for six hours to reach the shore.
The Turkish authorities deployed four coast guard boats, a diving team, and a helicopter to continue search and rescue operations in the area.
The popular tourist town of Bodrum lies close to several Greek islands, including Kos, one of the main points of entry into the European Union in the Aegean Sea. The distance between the Turkish and Greek coasts at this point is less than five kilometers.
Shipwrecks are frequent along these dangerous crossings to Greece. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 1,400 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean so far this year.
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