160 migrants pushed back by Greece saved on Aegean

İZMİR / MUĞLA

Turkish Coast Guard teams have saved a total of 160 migrants pushed back by Greek forces on the Aegean Sea in two different locations.

The first incident happened off the southwestern province of Muğla’s Bodrum district early Aug. 28 when Coast Guard officers saved some 64 migrants pushed back by Greece.

Upon notifications that two Palestinians were trying to swim to the Greek island of Kos from the famous Bardakçı Bay, the gendarmerie responded immediately and detained the two migrants.

The second event happened off the western province of İzmir’s Foça district. Following notifications that Greek forces pushed back dinghies filled with migrants, the Turkish Coast Guard took action and saved some 96 migrants.

According to local authorities, 23 of the migrants were Iranians. Some of the others were 15 from Iraq, 42 from Afghanistan, 12 from Bangladesh and four from Syria.

“A Greek vessel came and took us. But afterward, they beat us and sent us back to Türkiye at midnight,” Ahmet Ferhat Rahmani, an irregular migrant from Afghanistan, told Demirören News Agency.

The migrant alleged that Greek officers took their money and mobile phones before pushing them back to Türkiye.

“I was thirsty and hungry. I raised my hand to ask for water. That was the time when one of them came and beat me. What was my fault?” Rahmani asked while speaking in Turkish.

When asked how his Turkish was so fluent, Rahmani replied, “I have been in Türkiye for six years. I work here. I learned Turkish well for this.”