The General Directorate of Maritime Affairs announced on Monday that 300 migrants were rescued after an emergency call was received from the boat carrying the migrants 103 miles (165.76 kilometers) south of Kaş.
According to the post shared on the social media account of the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Turkish Radio reported to the Main Search and Rescue Coordination Center, that 103 miles south of Kaş, in the Turkish search and rescue area, that a 20-meter (99-foot) boat carrying 300 migrants had issued a "mayday" call. A cargo ship, the PAOLO TOPIC, was diverted to the area to assist those on the boat.
After the notice was conveyed to the Coast Guard Command Operations Center, the cargo ship started to load immigrants on board at 11:47 p.m. local time.
A meeting point with coast guard boats was arranged with the captain of the ship.
According to the post of the General Directorate, the PAOLO TOPIC arrived at the meeting point with 300 migrants.
Greece is often the country of choice for people fleeing Africa and the Middle East to try to reach a better life in the European Union.
Thousands come via Türkiye by crossing the Meriç River, and over the narrow and perilous Aegean Sea crossing separating the traditional rivals.
Illegal, or irregular migration as it is officially called, remains a thorn in the side of Türkiye, which sits at the crossroads of three continents. Despite boosted patrols at sea and on land, the country still struggles with an influx of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia looking to reach Europe, a destination where a growing opposition to migrants fails to deter the desperate people whose only option is migration. Either fleeing poverty or prevailing conflicts, thousands arrive in Türkiye every year to take their chance at illegally crossing into Europe.
The country at the same time has assumed a leading role in saving the lives of irregular migrants, particularly in the Mediterranean. In the last two years alone, it saved the lives of 41,000 people, most of them illegally pushed back by Greece.
Türkiye has ramped up action against illegal migration, leaving Europe behind, with a successful deportation rate of 67%, the country’s Directorate of Migration Management said last week.
"The number of irregular migrants deported since the beginning of the year has increased to 75,678.
"While the average deportation success rate of European countries is 10%, our country has left the whole of Europe behind with a 67% deportation success rate," said a statement by the directorate.
It also said the number of deportations increased by 143% between January and August when compared to the same period of the previous year. Some 204,966 irregular migrants were also prevented from entering Türkiye in the first eight months of 2022, the statement added.