A boat crammed with migrants capsized on Monday in the Aegean sea off the coast of bodrum in Turkey, leaving five people dead and three missing, according to news agencies.
According to the private Doğan news agency, the boat, which had Syrian refugees among its occupants, had been trying to enter Greece illegally when it overturned early Tuesday off the coast of the Greek island of Kos near the Turkish coast. The five dead were all Syrian men, Doğan said.
Coast guard vessels, fishing boats and search and rescue helicopters combed the area for survivors or bodies. So far, eight migrants, including one woman, out of 16 Syrians on the boat have been rescued by the coast guard teams dispatched to the area. The Syrians who were saved were hospitalized and were suffering from hypothermia.
The boat reportedly capsized around 2:00 a.m. when it started to take on water due to windy weather conditions. Fatal accidents are frequent in the area as migrants risk the dangerous sea crossing from Turkey to Greece.
