International Shia News Agency

Middleeastmonitor/ Nearly two hundred asylum seekers rescued by Turkish coastguard

SHAFAQNA- Turkish coastguard teams have rescued 178 alleged asylum seekers over the past two days, it has been reported. The operations took place off the Aegean coast in the west of Turkey. The illegal migrants were trying to enter the EU through Greece.

In a statement issued on Thursday, coastguard officers said that 94 of the migrants were picked-up near their base at Izmir when their boat was on the verge of sinking. Seventy-six others were rescued off the coast of Aiden. The asylum seekers included Syrians, Iranians and Afghanis; they were handed over to Turkish officials for questioning.

In total, 9,622 illegal immigrants have been rescued in the Aegean Sea since January. Forty-eight people have been arrested on charges of facilitating the illegal journeys.

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