Six Syrian migrants die after boat to Greece sinks in Aegean

Six Syrian migrants died after their boat to Greece sank in the Aegean Sea on July 16, while 10 others were rescued. 

A migrant boat, which set sail from the northwestern province of Çanakkale on its way to Greece's Lesbos Island, sank off Çanakkale's Ayvac?k district on July 16, killing six people. 

Turkish Coast Guard forces, which were on patrol in the region, launched rescue efforts after observing the migrants' struggle in the sea. 

Initially, a total of 10 people, including two children and four women, of Syrian origin were rescued from the sea. The bodies of six people were also retrieved. 

The rescued migrants were hospitalized in nearby hospitals in the Ayvac?k and Ezine districts. The six bodies were taken to the Forensic Medicine Institution in the province of Bursa. 

While the reason of the sinking has not yet been determined, an investigation has been launched into the incident. 

Coast Guard units are continuing their rescue efforts to determine if there are more people in the sea.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Coast Guard has saved a total of 1,351 migrants who were trying to illegally reach Greece via the Aegean Sea in the past six days.

The ?zmir Governorate said in a written statement on July 15 that 42 rescue operations on people attempting to illegally leave the country were conducted from July 10 to July 15, where a total of 1,351 migrants were captured. 

The statement said the number of migrants saved at the Aegean Sea since Jan. 1, 2015, had increased to 16,816, while 38 human smugglers were also caught.