A coastguard helicopter, three boats dispatched to the area for rescue operations, with 21 people rescued so far

Migrants are seen on a dinghy following a failed attempt to cross to the Greek island of Lesbos, as a Turkish Coast Guard boat aproaches them, on the waters of the North Aegean Sea, off the shores of Canakkale, Turkey, March 6, 2020.PHOTO: REUTERS

At least 18 people were killed when an inflatable boat carrying migrants sank off Turkiye’s western province of Mugla on Wednesday, the coastguard said in a statement, adding that search and rescue efforts continued in the area.

The coastguard said the boat, with an outboard motor, was detected at 0300 GMT off the coast of Mugla’s Bodrum district, and that it tried to flee despite repeated warnings to stop.

The boat later took in water due to adverse weather and sea conditions in the area and sank, it added.

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A coastguard helicopter and three boats were dispatched to the area for search and rescue operations, the coastguard said, adding that they had rescued 21 people so far.

The statement did not say where the boat had departed from or where it was heading.

The Aegean Sea is a frequent transit route for thousands of migrants attempting to cross from North Africa and the Middle East into Europe, particularly from Turkiye, which hosts millions of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.