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Five people were killed and another one was seriously injured on Sunday when a boat carrying irregular migrants crashed into a Turkish Coast Guard Command boat in western Türkiye.
The governorate of Balıkesir said in a statement that the boat was traveling at a high speed when a coast guard boat on a routine patrol against irregular immigrants approached it off the coast of the Ayvalık district. The collision between two boats pushed those aboard into the sea. Authorities said there were 34 irregular immigrants and a migrant smuggler aboard the boat.
Bodies were retrieved after a search and rescue mission, while a seriously injured person was taken to the hospital. The search was underway for one migrant reported missing after the crash. Local prosecutors launched an investigation into the incident.
Ayvalık, a popular tourist destination, has also been a hub for irregular immigrants in recent years seeking to cross into nearby Greek islands.
Last week, two irregular immigrants were found dead on a beach on the island of Rhodes, the latest casualties in an influx of migrants to Europe amid brewing conflicts around the world and economic hardships. The two victims had also set off from Türkiye and apparently drowned while traveling with other migrants through the rough waters of the Aegean Sea.
Greece’s proximity to North Africa and the Middle East has long placed the country at the heart of perilous migration routes to the European Union for people escaping conflict, persecution and poverty. The government has declared a three-month suspension on asylum requests from any persons arriving by sea from North Africa. The Greek migration ministry has also prepared legislation enabling migrant detention for up to two years for illegal entry and up to five years if subsequently caught staying in Greece illegally. In the past, Greece has been repeatedly accused of pushing irregular migrants back into Turkish waters, at times after puncturing their rubber boats. The practice has been decried by Ankara and human rights organizations.
Like Greece, Türkiye stands at the gateway to Europe for millions of migrants pursuing better lives, especially in major European countries like Germany. The Aegean Sea is the shortest route for migrants from Türkiye to Greece, but it is also among the most dangerous. Overloaded dinghies and unpredictable weather make a journey that lasts for a few nautical miles in some places deadlier.
