Six migrants tragically drowned on Wednesday in the Aegean Sea off Turkey’s western coast after their inflatable boat began to sink, as reported by authorities.
Turkish coast guards intervened before dawn south of the major city of Izmir, in waters separating Turkey from the nearby Greek island of Samos. They successfully rescued twenty-seven migrants, including seven who were found in the water.
“The lifeless bodies of six irregular migrants have been recovered,” announced Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who also confirmed the arrest of a suspected smuggler.
Earlier in mid-January, seven migrants had already lost their lives in the same area.
Shipwrecks are common during these perilous crossings between Turkish shores and nearby Greek islands such as Samos and Lesbos, which serve as entry points into the European Union.
According to the International Organization for Migration, 2,333 migrants went missing or were found dead in the Mediterranean in 2024.
