Five people died and one person was seriously injured after a boat carrying illegal migrants collided with a Turkish coast guard ship in the waters off the Balıkesir district, western Turkey, today, the Anadolu Agency reported, quoted by dariknews.bg.
According to a statement from the Balıkesir governorship, a high-speed boat carrying 34 migrants and a migrant smuggler hit the coast guard ship off the coast of Badavut in the Ayvalik district.
A search and rescue operation in the area found that five of the illegal migrants had fallen into the sea and died, while one was sent to hospital with serious injuries.
Searching another person.
The Ayvalık Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the incident.
The Aegean Sea is a transit route for migrants trying to cross from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe.
Source: dariknews.bg