Turkish authorities have claimed to have rescued nearly 400 migrants in Aegean waters on Monday and has again accused Greece of pushing many of them into its waters to prevent them from reaching Greek shores.
The Turkish Coast Guard has detailed that 384 migrants were rescued in a series of operations off the coasts of the provinces of Canakkale, Aydin, Balikesir, Mugla and Izmir.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that during the year authorities have prevented the irregular crossing of 256,000 migrants, Turkish state news agency Anatolia reported.
Turkey accuses Athens of illegally expelling boats arriving there from Turkish shores from its waters. Tension has been rising over the past few months in the eastern Mediterranean area as Greece and Turkey embark on a maritime dispute over hydrocarbon exploration in the area. The two countries are also at loggerheads over Cyprus.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
