ISTANBUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — Five undocumented migrants were killed, one went missing, and another was injured on Sunday when their boat collided with a Coast Guard vessel off the coast of Türkiye’s northwestern Balikesir province, local authorities said.
In a statement, the Balikesir Governor’s Office said the incident occurred during an operation conducted by the Coast Guard Northern Aegean Group Command as part of efforts to combat irregular migration.
The statement added that a high-speed fiberglass-hulled boat carrying a migrant smuggler and 34 undocumented migrants struck a Coast Guard vessel off the coast of the resort town of Ayvalik.
It said five migrants who fell into the sea were killed, one remained missing, and another was in critical condition.
The Aegean Sea has been a crucial route for migrants attempting to reach Europe via Türkiye.
