48 Syrian migrants stopped at sea

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s coast guard says it has prevented 48 Syrian migrants from reaching Greece.

In a statement on its official website, the Turkish Coast Guard said the migrants on a rubber dinghy were stopped after a tip early Friday. Aerial footage accompanying the statement shows the dinghy at sea followed by the rescue operation off the coast of Kusadasi in western Turkey.

According to coast guard statistics, 1,812 migrants have been stopped at sea and 19 smugglers apprehended this year. The number of migrants making the illegal crossing to Greece dropped dramatically since the EU-Turkey migrant deal last March. RSS