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Turkish Navy saves 80 irregular migrants in Mediterranean

July 18, 2021 at 4:26 pm

A dinghy transporting 27 refugee on February 29, 2020 [ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images]

The Turkish Navy rescued at least 80 irregular migrants off the coast of Libya, the National Defense Ministry said on Sunday, reports Anadolu Agency.

The Turkish frigate TCG Gediz was on patrol off the coast of the North African nation when it learned that a boat carrying irregular migrants was drifting towards the Tunisian coast, said a ministry statement.

A helicopter from the frigate took off after determining that the boat was within the search-and-rescue responsibility area for the island nation of Malta, it said, adding that the TCG Gediz rescued 80 irregular migrants in a coordinated operation with Maltese authorities.

READ: 2 irregular migrants dead in SE Turkey after suspected smuggler runs security checkpoint