20 migrants rescued after pushback by Greek authorities
BALIKESİR
Turkish Coast Guard teams have rescued 20 irregular migrants off the coast of Ayvalık district in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, after receiving reports of a drifting fiber boat in the area.
The migrants, who had been trying to reach Greece’s Lesbos Island, were pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities.
Coast Guard boat "KB-115" arrived at the scene and safely rescued the group, which included two children.
The migrants were taken to the Coast Guard Command on Cunda Island, where they were provided with food, medicine and other essentials before being transferred to the provincial directorate of migration management for further administrative processing.
In a separate incident, 10 migrants and a suspected smuggler were rescued off the western province of Muğla’s Datça district, after their fiber boat experienced engine failure.
The Coast Guard responded to their request for help and safely brought them ashore. The suspected smuggler was detained for further investigation.
