More than 500 migrants captured in Turkey’s west

ÇANAKKALE

AA photo

A total of 534 migrants of Syrian, Afghan and Palestine origin have been captured in Turkey’s western province of Çanakkale, while attempting to cross the Aegean Sea to reach a Greek island. 

The state-run Anadolu Agency reported 184 migrants of Syrian, Afghan and Palestine origin were seized at the Acıdere and Yeşil Liman regions of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district after the local gendarmerie forces acted upon a tip.  

After being captured, the migrants were sent to Ayvacık police’s repatriation center. Two dinghies, two engines and several life vests were also seized in the operation, while two human smugglers were also detained. 

Meanwhile, 350 Syrian migrants were saved from inside three trucks at the outskirts of Mount İda (Kazdağı) in Çanakkale’s Bayramiç district on Oct. 16, after a tip was issued to gendarmerie forces, Doğan News Agency reported. 

The trucks, which had trailers covered with hard canvas, were stopped at around 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 16, with a total of 350 Syrian migrants, who were heading towards Ayvacık from İzmir to get on boats to cross the Aegean Sea for Greece. 

The migrants, among them many women and children, said in their interrogation that they had settled for 2,000 euros each for the journey to the European Union. 

While the migrants were sent to the Ayvacık repatriation center, two of the trucks’ drivers were detained. The other driver fled the scene after realizing the gendarmerie search.