At least 21 illegal immigrants died on Friday after their boat capsized off the coast of Turkey's Aegean Sea.
The migrant boat overturned and sank off the shore of Eceabat District in the northwest province of Canakkale, according to a report from the government-owned TRTWorld.
The report quoted Canakkale Governor Ilhami Aktas as saying that two helicopters and 10 Coast Guard rescue boats participated in a search and rescue effort at the location. He stated that so far four people had been rescued.
In the meantime, ambulances have been sent to the port of Kabatepe, which is close to the scene of the accident.
Aktas stated that it was still unknown how many people were actually on the boat, where they were going, and how many individuals went missing as a result of the incident.
In an attempt to reach the prosperous nations of the European Union, many migrants from different parts of the world try to reach the Greek islands from Turkey's western shores, and most of them die in this dangerous sea journey.
The Mediterranean is the worst route for migrants and refugees, with at least 3,129 reported deaths and disappearances since 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
