“Journey Of Hope” Doesn’T Ease Down Despite Deadly Disasters Off Turkey’S Aegean

– In Bodrum district in Aegean province of Muğla, migrants keep flocking to beaches to cross into Greek islands despite recent tragedies occurred off Aegean waters.

Despite the security measures, 80 migrants left in five different boats on late Sep. 6, then got caught by the storm facing death risk after 1.5 miles to Akyarlar beach while heading to Greek island of Kos.

While 10 illegal migrants managed return to the beach all by themselves, around 45 migrants in two boats were captured by Coast Guard teams. Some migrants had to hang onto the boat’s back due to lack of capacity in the boat, and one of the boats carrying 25 people managed to reach the Greek island, told local reports.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have descended on Turkey's Aegean waters this summer, in attempt to board boats to Greece to flee the civil war in Syria, through their gateway to the European Union. Recently, two boat disasters have killed 12 people includign 8 children and the images sparked an outrage across the globe.

Security measures have been boosted in the region, as in Turgutreis, Bitez, Akyarlar and Ortakent-Yahşi neighbourhoods the gendarmerie took control over-land, while coast guard teams extended inspections by sea.

Dogan News Agency reporters’ camera captured the moments where some of the migrants had to cross into Kos by clinging on the boat and swimming, due to lack of capacity for them. While a group reached the shore of Kos, another group was noticed while preparing for the journey in Aspat region of Bodrum.

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