Coast Guard rescues 65 migrants off Türkiye’s southwest

MUĞLA

Coast Guard crews rescued 65 irregular migrants off Türkiye’s southwestern province of Muğla in two operations that also led to the detention of four migrant smuggling suspects.

In a statement on its website, the Coast Guard Command said teams were dispatched after receiving reports of migrants on life rafts off Marmaris.

Crews rescued 22 migrants, including eight children, whom the command said Greek forces had pushed back into Turkish territorial waters. Four suspected migrant smugglers were detained during the operation.

Separately, a Coast Guard boat was dispatched off Datça following a distress call from migrants stranded by an engine failure. Crews rescued 43 people, including 13 children, from the drifting fiberglass-hulled inflatable boat.

Following routine processing, the rescued migrants were transferred to the provincial directorate of migration management.