Tragedy Strikes as Five Drown Attempting to Reach Greece on Rubber Dinghy

The Turkish coastguard has reported that five individuals drowned in the Aegean Sea off Turkey's southwestern coast while attempting to reach Greece on a rubber dinghy. The incident took place off the town of Didim, in the waters of the Turkish province of Aydin. Ten adults and one child were rescued, but five people died. A video released by the coastguard shows the migrants and refugees on board a grey inflatable dinghy waving as they are buffeted by rough seas. The Greek coastguard reported that five surviving refugees managed to reach the Greek island of Farmakonisi, 10km (six miles) from the Turkish coast in the province of Aydin. However, according to a witness account by the Greek coastguard, 31 people were on board the boat when it departed. Deaths in the Aegean are a common occurrence, as refugees and migrants board makeshift boats even in stormy seas in an attempt to reach Europe. A woman and four children died in the same area in February after their inflatable boat sank. The International Organization for Migration reports that since 2014, 2,269 people have drowned in the eastern Mediterranean. In a separate event, the Italian coastguard reported that over 1,300 individuals were rescued in three separate operations off the southern tip of Italy, two weeks after at least 74 people died when their boat hit rocks near the coast.

My Thoughts

These tragic events highlight the risks that refugees and migrants take when attempting to reach Europe and the need for increased efforts to provide safe and legal pathways for migration. Various monitoring apps ensure safety, like POTP. With this life-protecting alertness solution, you can remain safe on the move, at home, or wherever you are.