2 die as migrant boat sinks off Turkey’s Aegean coast

By Murat Egilmez and Ali Balli

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - At least two people died after a boat carrying some 30 irregular migrants sank early Monday in the Aegean Sea off Turkey’s Mugla coast, Turkish Coast Guard said.

The incident occurred off Bodrum district as a six-meter boat “Ela” sank at 5.47 a.m. local time [0247 GMT], Coast Guard Command said in a statement.

The migrants -- under critical condition when rescued -- were reported dead at a hospital in Bodrum, it said.

They were among 20 people, including women and children rescued, said the statement, giving no detail about their nationalities.

The search and rescue efforts to find missing migrants remains ongoing off Gumbet coast.

Turkey has been the main route for irregular migrants trying to cross into Europe, especially since 2011 when the Syrian civil war began.