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ARCHIVE - A Turkish Coast Guard vessel patrols the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast on April 20, 2016. Photo: John Macdougall/dpa
Keystone
A rubber dinghy with migrants on board has sunk off the coast of south-western Turkey. At least 18 people lost their lives near the tourist resort of Bodrum, the Turkish coastguard announced. 21 people were rescued.
The search for an unknown number of missing persons continued. This is the latest tragedy on a notorious migration route to Europe.
The rescue operation in the Turkish Aegean was reportedly launched in the morning after a tip-off about a group of migrants at sea. The rubber dinghy sank after initially trying to evade a coastguard vessel that had asked the group to stop, as the coastguard wrote on its website.
The boat capsized during the chase because water got into it due to "strong winds and swell". It is unclear exactly how many people were on the boat, including their nationalities.
The Turkish Aegean coast continues to be an important starting point for migrants attempting to reach the nearby Greek islands and often the EU mainland by irregular sea routes. The route is often used by smuggling networks. They usually place migrants in overcrowded rubber dinghies - conditions that have repeatedly led to fatal accidents.
01.04.2026, 11:57
01.04.2026, 12:49
