Ankara, March 17 (IANS): At least five Syrian migrants were drowned on Tuesday when a boat with about 16 illegal migrants on board sank off western Turkey, media reported.
The boat, heading to the nearby Greek island of Kos with at least 16 Syrian migrants on board, capsized early Tuesday in the Aegean Sea near Bodrum town of Mugla province in western Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported citing private Dogan news service.
Turkish coast guards rescued eight migrants and were searching for those missing.
The rescued Syrian migrants were taken to Turkey's Bodrum state hospital for treatment, said the report.
Turkey is geographically positioned between Asia and Europe, and has become a major transit point for Middle Eastern and Asian migrants and refugees fleeing from poverty or conflict in their home countries.