The Ministry of Interior in Turkey has announced that seven people lost their lives and nineteen others were rescued following the capsizing of a migrant boat off the Aegean Sea coast.
Ali Yerlikaya, the Turkish Minister of Interior, stated on Tuesday, July 9th, in a message on his social media platform X, that the incident occurred after the boat collided with a rock.
Authorities in Turkey have deployed a helicopter, four coast guard vessels, and a team of divers to search for the missing person.
The identities of the drowned refugees have not yet been determined.
Turkey is considered a primary migration route for refugees from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Syria, and Iraq.
Earlier, the International Organization for Migration declared 2023 as the deadliest year for migrants in the past decade, reporting that approximately 8,500 migrants lost their lives.
According to the organization’s report, the Mediterranean Sea route remains the most perilous route for migrants.
These tragic incidents underscore the ongoing risks and challenges faced by migrants seeking safer futures through perilous sea journeys.
Despite efforts by authorities and humanitarian organizations to improve rescue operations and ensure safer migration routes, the dangers persist, especially across the Mediterranean Sea.
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