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One person has died and 43 were rescued when a migrant boat got into difficulties in the Aegean Sea, Turkish authorities said on Thursday, while an NGO accused the Greek coastguard of endangering the vessel.
The migrants were around 30 kilometres from the Greek island of Lesbos when their inflatable boat became “partially submerged” on Wednesday, the Turkish coastguard said.
Forty-three people were rescued by the Turkish coastguard, including four who were in the water.
“The body of an irregular migrant was recovered and a suspected smuggler was apprehended,” the Turkish coastguard said.
The Norwegian NGO Aegean Boat Report, which helps migrants in distress in the Aegean Sea, said it received an emergency call from people on the inflatable accusing the Greek coastguard of damaging the vessel.
“The group told us they had been violently pushed back by the Hellenic Coastguard,” Aegean Boat Report said in a statement.
“According to the survivors, the coastguard destroyed the engine, damaged the rubber boat during the attack, and left them helplessly drifting at sea while the boat started taking in water.
The NGO documents illegal pushbacks blamed on the Greek coastguard, allegations that Greece denies.
In February, 15 migrants were killed in a collision between a small boat and a Greek coastguard patrol boat off the island of Chios, just a short distance from the Turkish coast.
At least 1,209 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Additional sources • AFP