DM Monitoring
Ankara: A Turkish Coast Guard operation to rescue 25 asylum seekers, who were pushed back by Greece to die in the Aegean Sea, was captured by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Nov. 9.
The footage shows two Greek coastguard ships pushed the boat carrying 25 migrants, including children, from their territorial waters toward Turkish territorial waters.
The two ships then left the area in a maneuver that could have sunk the boat.
The migrants were later rescued by Turkey’s TCSG-21 Coast Guard boat.
Recent months have seen multiple reports of Greek forces illegally pushing back boats of asylum seekers, endangering the passengers in the process.
Last week, the Turkish Defense Ministry reiterated that “Greek soldiers do not refrain from moves that could sink boats carrying dozens of migrants, including children. They open fire around the boats and puncture rubber dingies with spiked sticks.”
Turkey and Greece have been key transit points for asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants seeking to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Greece has been widely criticized for using excessive force, including the firing of water cannons and tear gas to repel incoming migrants, as well as trying to sink and push back migrant boats in the Aegean Sea.
