Up To 15 Dead After Flimsy Dinghy Took On Water Off Turkey

Six migrants, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives and nine more are feared dead after their flimsy dinghy took on water off the coast of Turkey.

Remarkably, five migrants were found alive on a small Greek island after they apparently fell in the sea and managed to swim for miles.

The Turkish Coast Guard was alerted to a vessel taking on water off Turkey's south-western coast at 6.20am on 11th March.

Coastguards arrived on the scene and rescued 11 people - mostly African nationals and one a child - from the partly-submerged rubber boat.

Footage of the rescue shows the flimsy vessel struggling as it is tossed around in the choppy seas.

The survivors were taken to the small coastal town of Didim in Turkey, where they were handed over to medics for treatment.

The dead bodies of six migrants who had fallen off the dinghy were pulled from the sea and taken to the morgue of Didim State Hospital.

A pregnant woman is reported to be among the dead.

The Greek Coastguard reported that five people were found alive on the small Greek island of Farmakonisi, which lies about 12 miles from Didim.

The survivors reported that there were 31 people on board the dinghy.

It is not clear if searches for the nine people believed to be unaccounted for are still ongoing.

The Didim District Security Directorate is investigating the incident.

Turkey's Coast Guard Command said in a statement obtained by Newsflash on 11th March: "On 11th March, 2023, at 06.20am, upon receiving information that a rubber boat carrying a group of irregular migrants had taken on water and was in danger of sinking in the Turkish Search and Rescue Region off the coast of Didim District in Aydin Province, one Coast Guard vessel (TCSG-82) and two Coast Guard boats (TCSG-901, TCSG-909) were dispatched to the scene immediately.

"Upon arrival in the area, Coast Guard units rescued 11 irregular migrants (10 adults, one child) and delivered them to 112 Emergency Health Ambulance personnel at the Didim Port, and the lifeless bodies of six irregular migrants were recovered.

"Based on initial information obtained from the rescued irregular migrants, search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate the irregular migrants who are believed to be missing."