Turkey rescues 29 asylum seekers pushed back by Greece

By Halil Sahin

IZMIR (AA):- Turkey rescued 29 asylum seekers early Saturday who were illegally pushed back by Greece into Turkish waters in the Aegean Sea.

The asylum seekers, who were in a life raft, were taken ashore near the Cesme district of Izmir province, the Turkish Coast Guard Command said in a statement.

Twenty-one irregular migrants were also rescued from a rubber boat that experienced engine failure in Dikili province.

All occupants were later taken to the provincial migration office.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

It already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any country in the world, and is taking new security measures on its borders to humanely prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

[Photo: Earlier this month, Turkish coast guards rescued 157 asylum seekers who were pushed back into Turkey’s territorial waters by Greek forces off the coast of Urla, Dikili, Seferihisar and Cesme districts of Izmir province, Turkey on November 02, 2021. Photographer: TURKISH COAST GUARD Hand out/AA]

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