Turkish captain rescues migrants stranded at Ionian Sea

PYLOS

A Turkish captain has rescued a total of 78 irregular migrants stranded at the Ionian Sea.

The migrants initially set out with hopes of reaching European nations but later found themselves stranded at sea after their captain abandoned the boat.

“A boat in the Ionian Sea, 20 minutes from our ship, called for assistance at 2:20 a.m. on Oct. 14,” Turkish captain Ufuk Akdağ recalled.

Upon receiving reports of a boat stranded at sea, the Turkish captain and his crew swiftly launched a rescue mission, reaching the migrants and offering them food, beverages, and blankets after administering essential first aid.

The irregular migrants, who identified themselves as Iraqi, Iranian, Egyptian, and Afghan, reported being at sea for four days before the Turkish captain and his crew arrived, Akdağ noted. Among them were six children and 10 women.

“Some of the immigrants had Turkish Liras with them and claimed they had reached an agreement for 70,000 euros," he said.

He noted that, after rescuing the individuals, they requested assistance from the Greek Coast Guard to continue their voyage.

"However, as the Greek Coast Guard officials failed to arrive, we ourselves proceeded to the Greek port of Pylos, which was 39 miles north, and securely handed over the refugees to Greek authorities,” Akdağ said.

Most migrants choose to use illegal routes across the Aegean Sea to enter Europe, as several Greek islands are located close to the Turkish coast.