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A migrant stands in front of sea on April 16, 2015 at the port of Lesbos island as he waits to board onto a ship to go to the port of Piraeus in Athens. Since Greece bolstered controls along its land border with Turkey, along the Evros River, illegal immigrants have turned to the maritime route between Turkey and the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, notably Lesbos, Samos, Kos and Chios. 2015 started with a major increase in the number of Aegean crossings: 10,445 against 2,863 in the same period of 2014, according to the Greek port police. AFP PHOTO / ANGELOS TZORTZINIS (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / AFP)
At least eight migrants drowned after a boat carrying them capsized off the Turkish coast in the Aegean Sea, a local governor's office said on Friday.
The victims' nationalities were not yet known. Officials said two people were rescued by the Turkish coastguard and another two managed to make it out of the water on their own.
The boat capsized off Turkey's largest island, called Gokceada or Imbros, which is located off the coast of the northwestern province of Canakkale.
Officials said the search and rescue operation was under way.
Turkey is hosting nearly four million refugees, mostly Syrians.
Ankara struck a deal with the European Union in 2016 to curb the influx of refugees in return for several incentives, including financial assistance.
