Irregular migrants held in Izmir, Turkey

By Safak Yel

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - The Turkish Coast Guard in western Turkey arrested a boat-full of irregular migrants on Friday attempting to illegally cross the Aegean Sea to Greece.

Two suspected human traffickers were remanded in custody in the joint operation by provincial gendarmerie forces and Coast Guard teams on a vessel sailing off Urla district of Izmir province carrying irregular migrants.

Efforts are ongoing to identify the nationalities of the migrants.

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