Eastern Turkey: 2 more migrant bodies pulled from lake

By Emre Ilikan and Necat Hazar

VAN, Turkey (AA) - Two more bodies were recovered on Sunday from a lake in eastern Turkey where a boat sank late last month, carrying dozens of irregular migrants.

Rescue teams continue efforts to recover the remaining bodies from Lake Van, where a boat carrying up to 60 people sank on June 27.

The number of retrieved bodies has so far reached 56. Efforts are underway to recover the rest.

Five suspects have been remanded in custody over the incident.

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of irregular migrants arriving in Turkey has declined.

However, more than 21,000 migrants have reached Van so far this year, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

Of them, 16,000 were denied entry but 4,500 managed to enter illegally, Soylu added.

Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross to Europe to start a new life, especially those fleeing war and persecution.