Set up by the government in 2005, a hotline for foreigners in Turkey seeking advice on their rights, turned into a life-saving tool against human smuggling.

Atay Uslu, head of Turkish parliament's committee on migration, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that thanks to tips-off on human smuggling, the hotline helped save more than 10,000 migrants from potential death in the Aegean Sea. The Aegean Sea, located between Turkey and Europe, has been a hotbed of illegal immigration in recent years.

Turkey's western shore lies in close proximity to Greek islands, a gateway to Europe for millions. Migrant flow from Turkey peaked before a 2016 deal with the European Union to curb the influx in a bid to prevent migrant deaths. Migrants boarding dinghies fell victim to drowning more frequently before the 2016 agreement.