The Turkish coast guard says it has rescued 81 migrants who had tried to reach Greece via the Aegean Sea in rubber dinghies. They accused Greek officials of pushing the migrants back into Turkish waters illegally.
Turkish officials say they have rescued another 67 migrants in Aegean waters. The migrants were pushed back by Greek forces patrolling the waters, Turkish authorities claim. Greece denies being involved in pushbacks.
The Turkish coast guard has said it recovered a total of six migrant bodies in the Aegean Sea. Rescue operations are ongoing for one missing person off the coast of Izmir.
The Turkish coast guard on Tuesday stopped 168 people aboard a fishing boat in the Aegean Sea that authorities said was headed for Italy. In March alone, Turkish authorities stopped 17,587 irregular migrants in the country who were trying to make it to Europe.