Ankara: Another human tragedy has struck the perilous waters of the Aegean Sea, as a boat carrying migrants sank near Turkey’s popular tourist destination of Bodrum, claiming the lives of 17 people.
The governor’s office in Turkey’s Muğla province confirmed the devastating incident in a statement, noting that the bodies of 14 “illegal migrants” had been recovered. A search and rescue operation continues for the others who remain missing.
According to officials, only two people survived the sinking. One of the survivors, an Afghan national, recounted the horrifying final moments, stating that the boat began to take on water and sank entirely within just 10 minutes. The second survivor managed to swim to the nearby Çelebi Island to save his life.
In response to the tragedy, the Turkish Coast Guard immediately dispatched four boats, a helicopter, and a team of professional divers to search for the missing individuals.
This incident serves as another grim reminder of the dangers of this short but treacherous sea route between the Turkish coast and nearby Greek islands like Kos, which is located very close to Bodrum.
According to the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants Project, more than 1,400 migrants have already died this year while attempting the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe.
