Greek coast guard rejects pushback claims by Turkish counterpart

Greece’s Coast Guard has categorically denied pushing back migrants who were trying to reach the country, resulting in the death of six people including children.

The claim was made by the Turkish Coast Guard, which said on Tuesday that the Greek counterpart, which responded to the migrants’ call for help, put them in four life boats and left them near Turkish territorial waters.

“Hellenic Coast Guard categorically denies the announcement of the Turkish coast guard referring to the alleged involvement in an alleged push-back incident, that resulted in the death of six migrants,” Greece’s Coast Guard said in a statement issued late Tuesday night, adding that the incident took place in the sea area of Marmaris, within Turkish territorial waters.

The 73 migrants initially set off from Lebanon on Saturday for Italy but needed to refuel off the coast of Greece’s Rhodes island, the Turkish coast guard said, according to Reuters. One woman, three children and two babies died, it added.

[Reuters, Kathimerini]