Turkish Coast Guard pulls 132 from dinghies in Aegean

By Esber Ayaydin

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - Three groups of migrants were saved as they attempted to cross from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos, the Turkish Coast Guard said Wednesday.

The 132 migrants from Syria, Angola, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Senegal, Togo and Burkina Faso were pulled from rubber dinghies in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday.

They are believed to have set off from beaches near the town of Dikili, which lies 24 kilometers (15 miles) across the sea from Lesbos.

Turkey has been a major route for people trying to cross into Europe, especially since the start of the civil war in Syria. Until an agreement with the EU came into force in March last year, hundreds drowned while trying to reach Greece from Turkish shores.