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Greece-Bound Migrants, Including Children, Drown Off Turkish Coast

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A boat carrying migrants to Greece slammed into rocks off the Turkish coast and capsized, killing at least 33 people, including five children.

The Coast Guard rescued at least 75 people from the choppy Aegean Sea but said they suspected more were trapped inside the sunken 56-foot vessel. The death toll is likely to rise.

Officials say the migrants were being smuggled into the country. Dogan, a private Turkish news agency, reports police arrested a Turkish man suspected of being the smuggler.

Turkey, which is hosting an estimated 2.5 million refugees from Syria, in November agreed to fight smuggling networks and stem the flow of migrants into Europe.

Joel Millman, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, said the rate of deaths on Turkey-Greece human trafficking routes was "increasing at an alarming rate."

Millman said the rate of fatalities are exceptionally high compared to 2015. He said 55,000 had crossed by sea into Greece this month, a "very small number" versus the monthly flow in 2015.

The January death toll has now reached above 250, whereas the agency recorded 805 drowning deaths on Turkey-Greece smuggling routes throughout 2015.

Ayvacik Mayor Mehmet Unal Sahin said most of the migrants were Syrians. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the boat also bore natives of Afghanistan and Myanmar.

In a statement, the Turkish Coast Guard said it dispatched three boats, a team of divers and a helicopter after receiving calls for help. Its rescue teams recovered 33 bodies and will continue the search.

Turkish authorities say the boat sank shortly after it's departure from the Aegan resort of Ayvacik, about 5 miles north of the Lesbos coastline.  

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About The Author

Talia
Wise

Talia Wise has served as a multi-media producer for CBNNews.com, CBN Newswatch, The Prayer Link, and CBN News social media outlets. Prior to joining CBN News she worked for Fox Sports Florida producing and reporting. Talia earned a master’s degree in journalism from Regent University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia.