The Turkish Coast Guard saved 37 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece late Wednesday off Turkey’s western Izmir province.

The migrants and refıugees were rescued near the Çeşme district in Izmir province after being pushed back by Greek coastal authorities, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

They were taken to the provincial migration authority after going through routine checks.

Turkey and Greece have been key transit points for migrants aiming to cross into Europe, fleeing war and persecution to start new lives.

Turkey, which hosts nearly 4.5 million migrants, has also accused Greece of large-scale pushbacks and summary deportations without access to asylum procedures, which is a violation of international law. It also accuses the EU of turning a blind eye to what it says is a blatant abuse of human rights.

Several media reports, including German weekly Der Spiegel and videos published by Turkey, have provided evidence of Frontex guards working with Greek authorities to push migrants back to Turkish waters.

Greece rejects the accusations, saying they protect the borders of the EU in line with international law. International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported at least 300 pushback incidents by Greek security forces in 2020.