Turkey finds asylum seeker dumped by Greece in sea

By Mustafa Gungor

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) – Turkish search teams found an asylum seeker Sunday who had gone missing three days earlier, when the Greek Coast Guard dumped him along with several others in the Aegean Sea.

The Turkish Coast Guard found a life vest during their search around Bogaz Island off the coast of Izmir province, where the teams had earlier rescued two asylum seekers.

Thinking that the asylum seeker might have reached the island, the teams searched it again and found 16-year-old Somalian national Muhammed Seyyid alive.

He was taken to a hospital in Cesme district in Izmir and is said to be in good health.

Seyyid reportedly survived thanks to the life vest he was wearing and swam towards Bogaz Island, where he found drinkable water and ate plants.

On Friday, at least three people were found dead and one was missing after the Greek Coast Guard robbed a group of asylum seekers and dumped them in the Aegean Sea.

The Turkish Coast Guard managed to rescue two asylum seekers from Bogaz Island and two more from the surrounding waters. One of the two initially saved from the water later passed away at a hospital.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

Turkey and international human rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable people, including women and children.

*Writing by Sena Guler