Migrant boat sinks off western Turkey, at least 7 including children killed

Seven people, including five children, were killed on Friday after a boat carrying migrants sank off the northwestern coast of Turkey, the Turkish coast guard said, adding that five others were being sought. The boat, off the coast of the Ayvalik district in the Balikesir province, was carrying a total of 17 migrants, the coast guard said. Five were rescued.

In a statement, the coast guard said search and rescue operations including four boats and two helicopters were being carried out to find the four migrants and one suspected migrant smuggler.

Turkey became one of the main launch points for more than a million migrants taking the sea route to EU territory in 2015, many fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

The influx of migrants was drastically curtailed by a 2016 accord between Ankara and the EU after hundreds died crossing to Greek islands a few miles off the Turkish shore.

Mediterranean arrivals to the bloc, including refugees making the longer and more perilous crossing from North Africa to Italy, totalled 172,301 in 2017, down from 362,753 in 2016 and 1,015,078 in 2015, according to United Nations data.