Nineteen people died after a rubber dinghy packed with Afghan migrants sank off Bodrum, a resort town on Turkey’s Aegean coast, on Wednesday, 1 April 2026. A baby was among the dead, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing Idris Akbiyik, the governor of Mugla province.
The Coast Guard said the boat was carrying dozens of migrants, and that it ignored repeated warnings to stop before trying to flee at high speed. It took on water in rough seas and capsized. Swiss news portal blue News reported that the dinghy went down after first trying to evade a coastguard vessel, and that water poured in during “strong winds and swell.”
Rescue teams backed by a helicopter sent from the nearby city of Izmir hauled 21 survivors from the water and found 18 bodies, the Coast Guard said. A rescued migrant died later in hospital, pushing the toll to 19. At least one other person remained unaccounted for, and the search was still underway.
The operation got underway in the morning after word of a group of migrants at sea. All of those on board were from Afghanistan, according to the governor. The sinking happened off Bodrum, a stretch of coast that has long served as a launching point for migrants trying to reach the Greek islands and, from there, the European Union.
The island of Kos lies about 20 kilometres, or 13 miles, from Bodrum; Kalymnos, Leros and Symi are also nearby. Smugglers routinely crowd migrants into flimsy rubber dinghies, and the short crossing is often treacherous. Fatal accidents on the route have been common, making it one of the deadliest corridors into Europe.
Sources
- Boat with migrants capsizes off Turkey – at least 18 dead
- Boat Carrying Afghan Migrants Capsizes off Turkey, Killing 19
