World

Migrant crisis: Thirteen die in ferry collision off Turkey

September 20, 2015 6:10 pm

At least 13 migrants, including children, have died after their dinghy and a ferry collided off Turkey, the coastguard there says.

The accident happened close to the port of Canakkale. The boat was on its way to the Greek island of Lesbos.

In a second incident, Greece’s coastguard said 26 people were feared missing from a boat, also off Lesbos.

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Meanwhile thousands of migrants continue to cross borders in southern Europe, many now passing into Austria.

Austrian officials told the BBC they expected 20,000 over the weekend.

Turkey’s coastguard said it had raised the alarm after being told that a commercial vessel and a migrant boat had collided off Canakkale.

It said it had sent a helicopter and six rescue boats to the area.

Eight people have been rescued, with one seriously injured. Some reports said four of the dead were children.