31 Irregular Migrants Were Rescued Off The Coast of İzmir

21.12.2020

On 19 December 2020 at 07.10 a.m., upon receiving information regarding that there was a group of irregular migrants on 3 lifeboats off the coast of İzmir’s Foça district/Aslan Burnu, 2 CG boats were dispatched to the area immediately.
As a result of the SAR operation, 31 irregular migrants in total were rescued. It was learnt from the statements of the rescued migrants that; 
- They were beaten by Greek staff, 
- Their valuable possessions were taken. 
- While they were being embarked on lifeboats in order to be left to Turkish territorial waters, 5 migrants fell into the sea from a punctured lifeboat. 2 of the 5 migrants who fell into the sea were taken alive. 
- But 3 of them lost their lives. 3 of the migrants who lost their lives were taken with a separate lifeboat.
Judicial investigation has been initiated as regards the incident by Foça Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.