Ankara: At least five migrants drowned off Turkey’s western coast near Aydin province on Tuesday when their boat capsized in the Aegean Sea leaving 16 other migrants missing.
The Turkish Coast Guard recovered five bodies from the water and rescued one migrant after being informed by fisherman that there were dead bodies floating in the sea. The rescued migrant said there were another 16 migrants on the boat, Xinhua reported.
Meanwhile, 28 migrants and 12 human smugglers were caught during two different police operations in the Aegean province of Balikesir.
A motorboat and eight vehicles, including two taxis owned by smugglers, were seized during the operations by district police’s anti-smuggling and organised crime teams.
The group of smugglers attempted to transport migrants to the Greek island of Lesbos through Turkey’s Cunda Island.
Since the beginning of 2016, 24 smugglers have been arrested.
IANS