Türkiye rescues 30 irregular migrants after illegal Greek pushbacks

The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 30 irregular migrants who were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities, officials said Thursday.

According to the Turkish Coast Guard Command, teams were dispatched off the coast of Cesme, Izmir after detecting 30 foreign nationals in a boat.

After they were rescued, all migrants were taken to provincial migration offices.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants wanting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

Türkiye and global rights groups have also repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice of pushing back irregular migrants, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.