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At least 18 people have died after an inflatable boat with an outboard motor capsized in Turkish waters early Wednesday morning.

 

Turkish authorities said the vessel, which was ferrying migrants across the Aegean Sea en route to Europe, ignored repeated warnings to stop, with the pilot instead attempting to outrun them.

 

The vessel began to take on water in the rough seas and eventually capsized off the coast of Bodrum, a popular southwestern Turkish vacation spot.

 

What have Turkish authorities said about the migrant boat capsizing?
 

Turkish authorities say the vessel was first detected at around 0300 GMT and that three boats and a helicopter had meanwhile been dispatched to the scene from the western city of Izmir in an effort to find possible survivors.

 

"Following search and rescue operations, 21 undocumented migrants were rescued alive, while the bodies of 18 others were recovered," the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement.

 

"Efforts to determine the status of the missing (migrants) and search and rescue operations are continuing in this case," the statement added.

 

No information was given as to where the boat had departed and where it had been heading at the time of its sinking.

 

Dangerous sea crossings in unsafe boats
 

The Greek island of Kos is about 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Bodrum.

 

Greece is a favorite gateway to Europe for many desperate individuals seeking a better life in the bloc.

 

Many of those fleeing poverty and conflict come from Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

 

Turkey itself is home to millions of migrants from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

 

Though the distance between Turkey and Greece is minimal, migrant drownings in the Aegean are a frequent occurrence, with unseaworthy vessels provided by human smugglers often overfilled and sailing in poor weather.