Turkiye saves irregular migrants from ‘almost certain’ death

Turkish coast guards rescue 73 irregular migrants who were illegally pushed back into Turkiye’s territorial waters by Greek forces off the coast of Mugla, Turkiye on September 03, 2022 [Turkish Coast Guard Command – Anadolu Agency]

The Turkish Coast Guard in the province of Izmir has rescued 26 irregular migrants from almost certain death by drowning after the Greek authorities forced them to return to Turkish waters.

The Coast Guard service said on Sunday that it was notified about the presence of a group of irregular migrants on a rubber boat off the coast of Seferihisar district. The Turks found 26 people drifting at sea in a rubber dinghy.

It was discovered later that the migrants had been forced by the Greek authorities to return to Turkish territorial waters. After their rescue, they were transferred to Izmir’s General Directorate of Migration Management.

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