Turkish Coast Guard recovers 2 more migrant bodies from shipwreck off western Türkiye

By Ferdi Uzun

AYDIN, Türkiye (AA) – Türkiye recovered the bodies of two more irregular migrants from a weekend shipwreck off the country’s western coast, the Turkish Coast Guard said Monday.

The death toll from Saturday’s incident rose to seven, the coast guard said in a statement on its website.

On Saturday, the Turkish teams rescued 11 irregular migrants, including a child, in the Aegean Sea.

Acting on a tipoff, a team was dispatched off the coast of Didim in Aydin province, the coast guard said in a statement.

The asylum seekers, mostly African nationals, were taken to the shore and then transferred to a nearby hospital.

Later on Saturday, the coast guard found the bodies of five migrants.

A search operation is still underway for the remaining missing people.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants wanting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.