19 killed after migrant boat sinks off Turkiye
Apr 02, 2026
Istanbul [Turkiye], April 2: At least 19 people, including an infant, were killed on Wednesday when an inflatable boat carrying migrants sank off Turkiye's south-western coast, authorities said.
Teams initially rescued 21 people, one of whom died at the hospital, while a search is under way for at least one person believed to be missing, the Turkish coastguard said in a statement on its website.
Among the deceased is an infant, and all on board were Afghan nationals, state news agency Anadolu cited an official as saying.
The latest deadly incident along the frequently used migration route to Europe occurred off the Aegean resort town of Bodrum.
The boat went down after it tried to flee a coastguard vessel that had ordered it to stop, the Turkish coastguard said in a statement. Coastguard units rescued 21 migrants.
Source: Qatar Tribune
