Türkiye rescues 104 irregular migrants in Aegean Sea

IZMIR, Türkiye

Türkiye rescued 104 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea after Greek authorities pushed them back into Turkish territorial waters, authorities said Thursday.

Coast guard units rescued the irregular migrants from rubber boats off Cesme and Seferihisar districts in Izmir province, the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement.

Coast guard teams also caught 82 irregular migrants in rubber boats off the coast of Cesme.

They were taken to the provincial migration management directorate.

Türkiye and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Gozde Bayar