ANKARA: The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued 468 irregular migrants who were illegally pushed back by the Greek side into Turkish territorial waters in the Aegean Sea in the past month, official figures showed.
Some 468 migrants and refugees that have been pushed back by Greece between Feb. 24 and March 24, have been rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard, bringing the total number of migrants rescued in 2021 to 1,975. Moreover, nine people were caught on suspicion of organizing illegal crossings last month.
Meanwhile, according to the Turkish Coast Guard Command, between Jan. 1 and March 24, at least four asylum seekers lost their lives during the crossings in the Aegean.
Turkey has been a key transit point for migrants and refugees who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution. Crossing into Europe to start new lives for irregular migrants has become even more difficult due to the actions of Greece in recent months. Greece has been illegally pushing asylum seekers who either arrived on shore or settled in camps back into Turkish territorial waters since February. – Agencies
