At least 22 people dead after migrant boat sinks off Turkish Aegean coast

At least 22 people, including seven children, have lost their lives after the rubber dinghy they were travelling on overturned off the Turkish island of Gokceada in the Aegean Sea, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Turkish officials, the boat began sinking overnight, instigating a search-and-rescue operation backed by one plane, two helicopters, one drone, 18 boats and 502 personnel.

At least 3,129 deaths and disappearances have been registered in the Mediterranean since 2017, making it the deadliest route for migrants and refugees, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).