Türkiye rescues over 90 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece

By Anadolu Staff

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye rescued 94 irregular migrants in separate incidents, the Coast Guard Command said on Wednesday.

Twenty-three migrants were rescued from life rafts and inflatable boats off the coast of Dikili and Seferihisar districts in Izmir province after being pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces, said the coast guard in a statement.

Also, 58 irregular migrants pushed back into Turkish waters by the Greek Coast Guard were rescued off the coast of Kusadasi district in Türkiye's Aydin province, it added.

Five migrants in a lifeboat off Mugla province’s Datca district were rescued after being pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces, it added.

In a separate incident, eight irregular migrants were rescued off Bodrum district in Mugla province after being pushed back by the Greek Coast Guard.

The migrants were taken to the provincial migration management directorate.

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

*Writing by Gozde Bayar