The Greek coast guard sank a boat carrying 58 refugees in the Aegean Sea on Nov. 12, several media outlets reported, citing security officials and recent footage. The İhlas News Agency said the Turkish Coast Guard saved the refugees off the shore of Didim.
According to reports, refugees called for help and a Greek coast guard boat was sent to the scene. As the boat carrying refugees started to go alongside the Greek boat, Greek security forces used a guide rope, which has a piercing object on the top, and then blew the raft out from the stern.
After allegedly sinking the refugee boat on purpose, the Greek coast guard units left the scene, footage shows. As the refugee boat started to take on water and refugees started to fall into the sea, a Turkish Coast Guard boat arrived and brought 58 refugees to the Didim shore.
Turkey's four provinces of İzmir, Muğla, Aydın and Çanakkale, which face Greek islands in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, are prime spots for refugees leaving Turkey for the EU.
At least 3,138 refugees have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). According to the U.N. refugee agency, the total number of arrivals in 2015 so far in Europe via the Mediterranean now totals more than 640,000.
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