ISTANBUL, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three illegal migrants died and three others went missing after falling from a rubber boat into the Aegean Sea off the coast of Türkiye's Aydin province, local media reported on Friday.

According to NTV, the accident occurred near the coastal town of Kusadasi when the boat carrying migrants failed to heed a "stop" warning from security forces.

As the boat attempted to flee, several migrants fell into the sea. The Coast Guard rescued 32 individuals and recovered the bodies of three others.

The report added that three people are still missing as search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Preliminary reports suggest that the migrants were attempting to illegally cross to a Greek island.

The Aegean Sea has long been a key route for migrants attempting to reach Europe via Türkiye.

As one of the world's leading destinations for refugees, Türkiye currently hosts over 4 million migrants, the majority of whom are Syrians, according to the Presidential Directorate of Communications. Enditem

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