Türkiye rescues 129 irregular migrants after illegal Greek pushbacks

By Haydar Toprakci, Gokhan Duzyol, Burak Akay, and Sabri Kesen

​​​​​​​​​​​​IZMIR /AYDIN / CANAKKALE / MUGLA, Türkiye (AA) – The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 129 irregular migrants who were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities, officials said Monday.

Coast guard teams were dispatched off the coast of Dikili, Izmir after detecting 36 foreign nationals in a boat, according to the Turkish Coast Guard Command.

Meanwhile, 26 other migrants who were pushed back by Greece were rescued off the coast of Kusadasi in the Aydin province.

Turkish teams also rescued 15 irregular migrants in Ayvacik in the Canakkale province.

Separately, coast guard teams rescued 52 others off the coast of Datca and Bodrum in the Mugla province.

After they were rescued, all of the migrants were taken to provincial migration offices.

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.

Türkiye and global rights groups have also repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice of pushing back irregular migrants, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.