Coast Guard Command units in Türkiye’s northwestern provinces rescued a total of 84 irregular migrants after Greek authorities pushed them into Turkish territorial waters Monday.
Turkish coast guards found 22 irregular migrants off the coast of Ayvacık in Çanakkale after they were pushed back by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters.
Coast guard teams also rescued 41 migrants after receiving information that there were groups of irregular migrants in rubber boats off the coast of Ayvalık district in Balıkesir.
Additionally, a group of 21 migrants struggling in an inflatable raft off the Kuşadası district were pulled to the shore in Aydın on the Aegean coast, according to the local coast guard.
Türkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Human rights groups and media outlets have frequently reported on illegal pushbacks and other human rights breaches by Greek authorities.
Ankara and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
