IZMIR (AA): Two people have died after a boat carrying refugees — most of them Syrian — sank in the Aegean Sea off Turkey’s southwestern Izmir coast on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the provincial governorship the incident took place off the Menderes district as the boat was headed towards the Greek islands.
Turkish coast guards rescued two people near the Ozdere neigborhood of the district after one of the refugees in the boat, who swam towards the neigborhood, informed locals about the incident.
Seven other people are missing, the statement added. Rescue efforts are ongoing.
According to anInternational Organization for Migration (IOM) report, almost 3,000 refugees have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, including 246 in the waters between Greece and Turkey.
Just under 505,700 refugees have arrived in Europe by sea this year, most arriving in Greece, according to the group.
