18 migrants drown after boat sinks off Turkey’s southwestern coast

Fishermen hearing the migrants' screams of migrants alerted the Turkish coast guard, who picked up the bodies from the sea after the wooden boat carrying migrants from Iraq, Pakistan and Syria capsized about 3.5 kilometers off the coast. Kazinform refers to Today's Zaman. The dead included 10 children and four women, Doğan said. A woman's body was found inside a cabin holding her four-month-old baby. Those rescued were taken to a hospital in Bodrum. 11 of them were reported to be in critical condition. The coast guard was not immediately available for comment. A record 500,000 refugees from the four-year-old civil war in Syria have traveled through Turkey then risked their lives at sea to reach Greek islands this year, their first stop in the European Union before continuing to wealthier countries. Despite the winter conditions and rougher seas, the exodus has continued, albeit at a slower pace. Nearly 600 people have died this year on the so-called eastern Mediterranean sea route for migrants, according to the International Organization for Migration. Turkey struck a deal with the EU on Nov. 29 pledging to help stem the flow of migrants into Europe in return for 3 billion euros of cash for the 2.2 million Syrians Ankara has been hosting, visas and renewed talks on joining the 28-nation bloc.