Fourteen dead as migrant boat sinks off Turkey's Aegean coast

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By Euronews
Fourteen dead as migrant boat sinks off Turkey's Aegean coast

At least 14 people, including seven children, have died after their small boat sank off Turkey’s Aegean coast.

The fatalities are the latest in the ongoing migrant crisis.

As many as 40 people were on board the overladen vessel .

An eyewitness described what happened: “Around 40 to 50 migrants were brought to the port in a truck and they boarded the boat. I think the captain, a Syrian man, was inexperienced. The boat hit the rocks as they set sail and it sank shortly after.”

The Turkish coastguard rescued 27 and recovered the bodies of the drowned.

They were heading from Cannakale to the Greek island of Lesbos.

Authorities say after the boat hit the rocks they continued on until they took in so much water they had to turn back, but sank before reaching shore.