The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 68 migrants stranded on rocks as they attempted to cross to Greece.
The migrants were trying to reach Greek islands when an inflatable boat carrying them got stuck at the small islet near the Dikili district of İzmir, according to a statement from the Turkish Coast Guard.
Authorities intervened after receiving an emergency call at 1.12am local time. The coastguard said the rescue operation could only begin in daylight due to the rocky area and bad sea conditions. Helicopters dropped food and blankets in the night, the Guardian reported.
The coastguard said that five children and a woman were rescued in this way while the rest were transferred to coastguard boats with the assistance of fishermen in the area.
