Turkish rescues 22 irregular migrants in Aegean Sea

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - At least 22 irregular migrants have been rescued in the Aegean Sea off Turkey's southwestern coast, said security sources on Sunday.

The migrants requested help from the Turkish Coast Guard when a boat carrying them got stuck off the Datca district in the Mugla province, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to media.

All of the migrants -- most of whom are Syrian, Palestinian and Iraqi nationals -- were referred to provincial migration office.

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

According to the official figures, almost 180,000 irregular migrants have been held so far in 2019.