At least 5 killed as migrant boat sinks off Turkiye

ANKARA, -- At least five migrants were killed when a dinghy sank off the coast of southwest Turkiye on Saturday, the daily Hurriyet reported.

Turkish coastguard arrived off the coast of Didim district in Aydin province after learning that a boat was taking in water at 6:20 am (0320 GMT).

The coastguards rescued 11 people, including a child, the daily reported, adding that search and rescue efforts continue in the area for the missing migrants.

The preliminary findings revealed that the migrants, who are African nationals, were brought to Didim by human traffickers before sailing to the Greek islands illegally, the Hurriyet reported.

The Aegean Sea has been an important route for migrants trying to reach Europe via Turkiye. A deal was signed between Turkiye and the European Union in March 2016 to curb the flow of illegal immigration.