Eighteen people were killed and another 14 rescued after a migrant vessel capsized off the Turkish coast, the Anadolu news agency reported Saturday.
The boat, which had been en route from the coastal resport of Bodrum to the Greek island of Kos, had been carrying refugees including Syrian and Iraqi nationals when it capsized in open waters.
The incident is the latest in a series of deadly capsizings in the Aegean Sea. Turkey, whose shores are very close to Greek islands, is a major gateway for migrants and refugees trying to reach the European Union.
The EU's border agency Frontex has announced its intention to gradually boost its Aegean presence from 195 to 376 officers in order to support Greek efforts to handle the crisis.
The EU and Turkey reached a deal last month which is meant to see the bloc give Ankara 3.2 billion dollars in refugee aid in return for Turkish security forces curbing migrant flows to Europe.
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