Nineteen Afghan migrants, including a baby, died on Wednesday when an inflatable dinghy sank in the Aegean Sea off southwestern Turkey after it was challenged by a coast guard vessel, authorities said.
The Turkish coast guard said the group had been travelling in a rubber boat that “refused to stop and continued fleeing at high speed” despite warnings. The vessel later began taking on water and sank just off Bodrum.
Rescue teams pulled 18 bodies and 21 people alive from the sea, but one survivor died in hospital, raising the death toll to 19, the coast guard added.
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Local governor Idris Akbiyik told reporters that a baby was among the victims.
He said all those on board were Afghan nationals, in comments quoted by local media.
He attributed the sinking to adverse sea and weather conditions.
“Following the initial interviews with the rescued migrants, search operations are continuing for one irregular migrant who is believed to be missing,” the coast guard said.
Fatal shipwrecks are common along the dangerous route between Turkey and the nearby Greek islands, a key entry point into the European Union for migrants and asylum seekers.
AFP
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