22 die as two migrant boats sink en route to Greece

At least 22 migrants were pronounced as dead after their boat capsized off Turkey's popular coastal town of Datça, near the western city of Muğla, early Tuesday.

An initial report said the 20-meter wooden boat, packed with desperate migrants, sank at around 6 a.m. off Datça, in the Aegean Sea. When the boat sank, it was en route to the island of Kos, Greece.

The victims included 11 women and four children. Approximately 211 others were rescued from water with the help of five coast guard speedboats, acting on a tip-off. They have been taken to the coastal town of Bodrum after primary care on the boat.

In another sea accident, at least two Syrian migrants died in an attempt to reach Greece when their boat sank off the western city of İzmir in the Aegean Sea. They reportedly drowned after their boat had capsized off the province's Seferhisar town on its way to a Greek island.

Eleven migrants were rescued from water by a Turkish coast guard boat, acting on a tip-off which said a fishing vessel had been helping immigrants who managed to stay afloat.