By Sahin Oktay, Tahir Turan Eroglu, Ibrahim Aktas, Sengul Oymak
KOCAELI, Turkey (AA): At least 21 people were killed when a fishing vessel carrying migrants sank in the Black Sea off northwestern Kocaeli province early Friday, Turkish Coast Guard said. Nine people were missing.
Search teams have managed to rescue 40 migrants after the boat sank at 5.03 a.m. local time (0203GMT) around 64 nautical miles north of Kefken village, according to a statement.
One pregnant woman who was rescued was taken to hospital but lost her baby.
A coast guard boat carrying the rescued refugees, most of whom were Iraqis, took them to Kefken port in Kandira district of the province.
They were treated in a mobile hospital at the port. Two of them, who are in serious condition, were taken to the Kocaeli State Hospital, the statement added.
The boat reportedly sank due to bad weather and rough waters.
A number of coast guard and naval aircraft along with five merchant ships were engaged to search for survivors.
Additional report from The Muslim News
[Photo: Turkish coast guard boat carrying rescued migrants arrives at Kefken port after a fishing vessel carrying illegal migrants sank in the Black Sea off Turkey’s northwestern province of Kocaeli, Turkey on September 22, 2017. Photographer: Tahir Turan Eroğlu/AA]