Türkiye rescues 204 irregular migrants after illegal Greek pushbacks

By Safak Yel, Gokhan Duzyol, Burak Akay and Sabri Kesen

​​​​​​​​​​​​IZMIR/AYDIN/CANAKKALE/MUGLA, Türkiye (AA) – The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 204 irregular migrants who were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities, officials said Tuesday.

Coast guard teams were dispatched off the coast of Cesme district in Izmir province after detecting 50 foreign nationals in a boat, according to the Turkish Coast Guard Command.

Separately, coast guard teams rescued 64 migrants after receiving information that there were groups of irregular migrants in rubber boats off the coast of Dikili and Urla districts in Izmir province.

Meanwhile, 59 other migrants who were pushed back by Greece were rescued off the coast of Kusadasi district in Aydin province.

Turkish teams also rescued 13 irregular migrants in Ayvacik District of Canakkale province.

Separately, coast guard teams rescued 18 others off the coast of Datca District in 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.

Human rights groups and media outlets have frequently reported on illegal pushbacks and other human rights breaches by Greek authorities.

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.