At least 39 illegal migrants have been rescued in the Aegean Sea off of Turkey's northwestern coast, security sources said yesterday.

The migrants requested help from the Turkish Coast Guard when a boat carrying them got stuck off the Enez district in the northwestern border province of Edirne, said the sources. All of the migrants were taken to hospital for medical care.

Turkey has been a key transit point for illegal migrants aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

According to official figures, almost 180,000 illegal migrants have been intercepted so far in 2019.