On October 25, 2025, Turkish officials stated that a boat carrying 18 illegal immigrants sank in the Aegean Sea near the resort town of Bodrum in Turkey on Friday, October 24th, resulting in at least 14 deaths and 2 people missing.
The office of the governor of Mugla province in Turkey mentioned in a statement that the rubber dinghy started to take on water shortly after departing from the coastal town of Bodrum.
Located on the Aegean Coast in southwestern Turkey, Bodrum is a well-known holiday destination and a hotspot for illegal immigration due to its proximity to Greece.
After the incident, an Afghan immigrant managed to swim to the shore and report the incident. Subsequently, the Turkish coast guard dispatched four boats, a diving team, a helicopter, and several rescue personnel to the scene for the rescue operation.
Upon arrival, the rescuers quickly saved the Afghan migrant who sought help and discovered another survivor who had managed to swim to the nearby Celebi Island.
According to the rescued Afghan migrant, it took him about six hours to reach the shore. There were a total of 18 people on the dinghy, which departed from the coastal village of Bitez. However, about 10 minutes after setting off, the boat started taking on water and sank quickly.
The office of the governor of Mugla province announced on social media on Friday that the emergency call center received reports of the migrant boat distress early in the morning. So far, 14 bodies have been recovered, and the specialized search and rescue team is still actively searching for the remaining 2 missing persons.
It is currently unclear whether these migrants were attempting to reach the Greek island of Kos in the southeastern Aegean Sea.
In recent years, a large number of illegal immigrants and refugees have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European countries, but many have unfortunately perished along the way. According to the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project, nearly 1,400 illegal immigrants have died this year alone while attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.