Five migrants die as boat sinks in the Aegean

The Turkish coastguard recovered the bodies of 5 people and rescued 11 people, after a boat reportedly carrying 31 people sank off Farmakonisi island on Saturday.

Greece’s coastguard said 5 people from the same shipwreck were located alive on Farmakonisi island.

Turkey's coastguard said it had arrived at the scene after learning that a boat was taking in water at 6:20 a.m. (0320 GMT). It rescued 11 people, including a child, and brought them to Didim port to hand them off to health personnel.

The Greek coastguard said it was informed by Turkey about those rescued from a "half-sunken dinghy" in Turkish waters. It said five people were found alive on the island of Farmakonisi, some 19 kilometres (12 miles) off the coast of Didim.

Those rescued said there were a total of 31 people on the boat, the Greek coastguard added. Both the Turkish and Greek coastguards said search and rescue operations were continuing.

The Greek Coast Guard released the following statement.

A search and rescue operation under the coordination of the Joint Search and Rescue Center of the Coast Guard - Hellenic Coast Guard has been underway since the morning hours today, to locate missing foreigners in the wider sea area of ​​the island of Farmakonisi.

In particular, the Port Authority of Leros was informed by a military observatory on the island of Farmakonissi about the existence of four (04) foreigners on land.

According to the above statement, thirty-one (31) people were on board a boat coming from the Turkish coast, which had an inflow of water, within Turkish territorial waters, in the above sea area near the border line.
So far and following investigations carried out on land, five (05) foreigners have been identified, all on land, in good health.

Upon notification of the E.K.S.E.D./L.S.-EL.AKT. from the corresponding Center of Ankara, the Turkish authorities have so far collected eleven (11) people from a semi-submerged boat as well as five (05) bodies in Turkish territorial waters.

Investigations are ongoing, while developments will be reported with a newer press release.