39 dead after boat of illegal immigrants sinks off Turkey

, Sept 6: At least 39 people drowned on Thursday after a boat carrying illegal immigrants trying to reach

capsized in waters off western

, the Anatolia news agency reported, citing a local official. "The number of casualties recovered from the boat rose to 39," said Ardahan Totuk, acting governor of Izmir province, adding that the toll would rise as more bodies were found in the boat locker. Forty-five people including two crew members were rescued alive, Totuk said earlier, adding that the captain and his maid who were among the survivors were detained.

The boat hit the rocks after it took off from Ahmetbeyli on the western coast of Turkey close to Greek islands, Tahsin Kurtbeyoglu, a local official of the Menderes district in Izmir province, told the private NTV television. The nationalities of the immigrants including children were not immediately available, he noted, but said most of them were from Arab countries.

The NTV television said the survivors were from neighbouring Iraq and Syria. The boat's final destination is not known, nor the number of its passengers. Officials said the search and rescue operation was under way to find the missing crew. Turkey has become a hub of illegal immigrants who aspire to cross into European countries for better lives. Neighbouring Greece is the busiest entry point for illegal immigrants trying to reach the European Union.

AFP