At least 14 Afghan migrants have died after a boat carrying them collided with a Turkish coastguard vessel off the Mediterranean coast, according to reports. Several others were rescued.
The incident occurred near the coast of Demre in Antalya province when the vessel carrying the Afghan migrants ignored calls to stop and attempted to evade coastguard boats by manoeuvring at high speed, the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Governor Hulusi Şahin as saying.
According to the Associated Press, Turkish authorities said the collision happened on Monday when the migrants’ vessel struck a coastguard boat in the Mediterranean Sea, leaving at least 14 people dead.
Şahin said the boat capsised following the collision, causing several passengers to drown.
He added that coastguard teams rescued seven people from the water and transferred them to medical centres for emergency treatment. Meanwhile, 14 others who managed to reach the shore were detained by gendarmerie forces.
Reports indicate that search and rescue operations by land, sea and air are continuing to locate any possible missing persons.
Turkish authorities also said judicial and administrative investigations have been launched into the incident.
hz/sa
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