Six migrants die after boat capsizes off Turkey’s Aegean coast

BODRUM – Anadolu Agency

DHA photo

Six Syrian migrants have died after their boast sank off Turkey’s Aegean coast while 66 others were rescued, including a little girl who survived under the boat for five hours. 

A dinghy carrying more than 70 Syrian migrants, who intended to illegally reach European through Greece’s Kos Island in the Aegean Sea, capsized off the coast of Turkey’s western province of Muğla early June 23, leaving six people dead. 

Two bodies were found in the sea and 65 people were rescued alive during the first round of rescue efforts, while the bodies of four more migrants were discovered later. 

In addition, a little girl was found alive five hours after the incident took place, paramedic İsmail Hakkı Gençay, who took part in the rescue efforts, told reporters. 

“While at the end of the rescue efforts, a diver said there were four dead bodies under the [capsized] boat.

When he dived again he brought three bodies and a little girl, who was alive. She was rescued as she was about to freeze to death,” said Gençay. “She stayed five hours under the boat and managed to breath from the space under the boat.” 

The capsized boat was first noticed by nearby fishermen, who informed the Turkish Coast Guard of the situation. A helicopter was also used to help in the rescue efforts. 

Turkey has been a common transit country for migrants fleeing their home countries to reach European shores. Due to the Syrian crisis, which has been ongoing for more than four years, Turkey is currently more than 1.8 million Syrian refugees, either in refugee camps or in cities across the country.