30 irregular migrants rescued off Izmir coast in Türkiye

ISTANBUL

Thirty irregular migrants pushed back into Turkish waters by Greek forces were rescued Saturday off the coast of the Seferihisar district in the Aegean province of Izmir, according to authorities.

The Turkish Coast Guard Command’s website said a coast guard boat was dispatched after reports of irregular migrants off the coast of Seferihisar.

Teams rescued the migrants, including 10 children, from a rubber boat that had been forced back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces.

Following necessary procedures, the migrants were transferred to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers wanting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

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