KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Turkey’s authorities say at least 14 people have died after a boat carrying undocumented migrants sank off the coast of the southern city of Antalya.
According to RIA Novosti, local officials said the boat was spotted early Monday morning near the coast of the Demre district. The passengers were migrants from Afghanistan, including women and children.
Officials said coast guard forces attempted to stop the vessel. However, the boat made sharp maneuvers while trying to escape and collided with a coast guard boat. As a result of the collision, several passengers fell into the sea.
At least 14 people died in the incident. Authorities also said that 14 other migrants were detained and seven people were rescued by coast guard forces.
According to Turkish officials, the remaining passengers were transferred to shore, and some of them received medical assistance.
Local authorities said an investigation has been launched into how the incident occurred.
Such deadly migration attempts are rooted in the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan, where widespread poverty, unemployment, and restrictions on basic rights have pushed many people to leave the country in search of safety and opportunity.
With limited legal pathways for migration, many Afghans are forced to rely on irregular and dangerous routes controlled by smugglers, often crossing multiple countries before attempting risky sea journeys toward Turkey or Europe.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 has resulted in a significant rise in the number of people fleeing the country. Many fear persecution and retaliation from the Taliban, forcing them to take dangerous and illegal routes to reach Europe or other countries.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), of the eight million Afghans who have migrated since 2020, approximately one million have moved to European countries, with the majority using illegal routes.
Meanwhile, the implementation of anti-migrant policies and the ongoing crackdown on Afghan refugees in Turkey and neighboring countries have led to the detention and deportation of thousands of Afghans in recent years.
