ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A fast-moving boat carrying Afghan migrants capsized in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday while attempting to evade the coastguard in rough waters, leaving 19 dead — including a baby, officials said.
The Turkish Coast Guard Command said the boat carrying dozens of migrants ignored repeated warnings to stop and attempted to flee at high speed. The boat began to take on water in the choppy waters and eventually capsized. At least 20 other migrants were rescued.
The sinking occurred off the coastal city of Bodrum, a popular Turkish vacation destination.
Rescue teams supported by a helicopter dispatched from the nearby city of Izmir initially pulled 21 survivors from the water and recovered 18 bodies, the Coast Guard said. One of the migrants later died in hospital.
The search is continuing for at least one other person who is unaccounted for, the Coast Guard said.
All of the migrants were from Afghanistan, and the victims included a baby, according to Idris Akbiyik, the governor for Mugla province where Bodrum is located, who was cited by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
The Greek island of Kos lies some 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Bodrum. Other nearby islands include Kalymnos, Leros, and Symi.
Greece is one of the main entry points into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, with many making the short but often treacherous journey from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in small boats. Many are unseaworthy, or set out in bad weather, and fatal accidents have been common.