At least four migrants drowned after their rubber dinghy capsized off Turkey’s western coast on Monday, the coast guard said.
The incident occurred near the Karaburun district of İzmir province, according to a statement from the Turkish Coast Guard Command.
Officials said two migrants were rescued, while four bodies were recovered. A search operation involving a helicopter, a drone, five boats and a larger vessel was continuing for others who may still be missing.
Authorities did not immediately disclose how many people were on the boat or their nationalities.
Thousands of migrants attempt the short but dangerous crossing from Turkey’s Aegean coast to nearby Greek islands such as Samos, Rhodes and Lesbos, which are often used as entry points into the European Union.