The local governor's offices said that at least 14 people died when a rubber-hulled boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Turkey's western Mugla province on Friday. They added that a search for survivors was under way.

The Mugla Governor's Office released a statement saying that an Afghan who had survived the disaster, and returned to the mainland by swimming, raised the alarm just after 1:00 am.

The governor's office reported that the Afghan told emergency services that 18 passengers had boarded the rubber boat. However, shortly after, it took on water and sank.

The search and rescue team found a second person who managed to reach Celebi Island near Bodrum. The teams also recovered 14 bodies from sea.

The governor's office said that "search and rescue efforts continue for other irregular migrants who are missing, using four coast guard boats and one special diving team of the coast guard and one helicopter."

The Aegean is a popular transit route for thousands migrants trying to get from North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. This is especially true of Turkey, which has millions of refugees in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

According to the Presidency for Migration Management, the number of irregular migrants captured in Turkey reached a peak in 2019. Nearly 455,000 people were caught, mostly from Afghanistan and Syria.

As of 16 October this year, more than 122,000 migrants had been arrested in Turkey. Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen, Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Editing by Daren Balmer and Crispian Bliss.

(source: Reuters)