At least 21 dead as migrant boat sinks off Turkish coast
At least 21 people, five of whom were children and babies, have drowned as a rubber boat carrying migrants has sunk off the coast of Turkey’s northwest Çanakkale province. Rescue efforts continue in the area.
Reuters
At least 21 people drowned, including five children, when a rubber boat carrying migrants sank off Turkey's northwest province of Çanakkale, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.
Çanakkale Governor İlhami Aktaş told Anadolu that four migrants were rescued and admitted to hospital early on Friday, while search and rescue operations continued, involving ten coastguard boats, two helicopters, marine police, Turkey's Disaster Management Authority (AFAD) and National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE).
Two people survived on their own and notified the coastguard, and two were rescued by authorities. Aktaş added that were talking with the four survivors to determine how many people were on the boat.