Turkish Coast Guard teams executed two successful rescue operations off the coast of Izmir on Saturday, saving 75 irregular migrants, including five children, from perilous conditions after their vessels experienced failure and began to sink.

The first emergency unfolded off the coast of Dikili. According to a statement from the Turkish Coast Guard Command, teams were dispatched following a distress call from a rubber boat that had lost power and was adrift. A Coast Guard Boat reached the location and safely rescued all 34 individuals on board, including five children.

A second, more critical incident occurred near Foça. A rubber boat carrying migrants was taking on water and beginning to sink. In a combined effort, 28 of the migrants were pulled from the sea by a commercial vessel that was passing through the area. Following an extensive search and rescue operation conducted by two Coast Guard ships and three boats, an additional 13 people were located and rescued.

Following the twin operations, all 75 migrants were safely brought to shore. After necessary health checks and administrative procedures were completed, they were handed over to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management.

The incidents highlight the ongoing dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Aegean Sea, often in unseaworthy vessels, and underscore the critical role of the Coast Guard in preventing maritime tragedies. (ILKHA)