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A boat carrying undocumented migrants sank off the coast of Bodrum early Friday, resulting in at least 14 deaths and two rescues, according to updated reports from Turkish authorities.
The incident occurred off the coast of the Ortakent neighborhood in the Bodrum district, Mugla province, early Friday morning. The vessel sank for reasons still under investigation, with authorities indicating the rubber boat took on water approximately 10 minutes after departing from the Bitez area.
Coast guard personnel recovered 14 bodies from the water that washed ashore at Ortakent and the surrounding areas. Two undocumented migrants in danger of drowning were rescued by Coast Guard Command units. One of the rescued migrants swam to Celebi Island before being recovered.
"Search and rescue operations for other missing undocumented migrants continue under the coordination of the coast guard," according to the Mugla Governor's Office statement.
Following reports of the vessel sinking near Ortakent, authorities dispatched four boats, a diving team, a helicopter and multiple emergency response units to the scene.
The 112 Emergency Health Service responded immediately after the report was filed. Rescue teams worked to locate survivors and recover bodies in the water.
"Rescue and search operations in the area are ongoing," coast guard officials said.
The exact number of people aboard the boat at the time of sinking remains unknown as recovery operations continue. The vessel sank for undetermined reasons, according to initial investigations.
Bodies recovered from the water washed ashore at Ortakent beach as rescue teams worked to identify the dead and search for additional survivors.
The Mugla governor's Office released a detailed account of the incident Friday. An emergency report came into the 112 Emergency Call Center at 1:06 a.m. on Oct. 24, with an Afghan national reporting that a person in the rocky coastal area near Ada Burnu in the Bodrum district required assistance.
According to the initial statement from the person seeking help, the rubber boat had departed from the Bitiz area with 18 people aboard. Approximately 10 minutes after departure, the boat took on water and began to sink.
The individual who made the distress call stated that he swam for approximately 6 hours before reaching shore.
In response to the report, four Coast Guard Command boats and a diving team were initially dispatched to the area. Additional boats and a helicopter were later deployed to support search-and-rescue operations.
"During the search and rescue operations, two undocumented migrants were successfully rescued, including one who swam to Celebi Island before being recovered. Teams recovered 14 bodies of undocumented migrants," the Governor's statement noted.
"Search and rescue operations for other missing undocumented migrants continue under Coast Guard Command coordination with four boats, a diving team, and a helicopter," according to the governor's statement.
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