Six Refugees Drown in Aegean Sea Off Turkey's Coast

On Wednesday, February 20, Turkey's Interior Minister announced that six people, including three children, drowned when a boat carrying refugees sank in the Aegean Sea off the western coast of the country, while 27 others were rescued. The identities of the victims have not yet been determined, but citizens from various countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria, are illegally traveling to Greece via this dangerous water route in hopes of reaching Europe. Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey's Interior Minister, wrote in a message on social media platform X that the bodies of six 'illegal' refugees had been recovered from the water. He added that among the 27 rescued individuals, one person was arrested on suspicion of trafficking these refugees. Last month, another boat carrying refugees sank in the Aegean Sea, resulting in the deaths of seven people. This incident occurred off the coast of Izmir, which is only 15 kilometers from the Greek island of Samos. Turkish officials have stated that the bodies of the victims have been transferred to local hospitals for identification. Every year, many boats illegally transporting refugees from Turkey to the Greek islands sink in the Aegean Sea. According to the Turkish Coast Guard, approximately 45 refugees drowned in the Aegean Sea last year, and authorities arrested 484 individuals on charges of trafficking refugees. The agency also reported that in 2024, a total of 55,467 refugees attempting to enter Europe illegally were detained in Turkish waters. Turkey currently hosts about 4.4 million migrants and refugees, over three million of whom are Syrian citizens.