At least 14 people drowned after a rubber boat carrying migrants sank off Turkey’s western province of Mugla on Friday, authorities said, while search and rescue operations continue for possible survivors.

The Mugla Governor’s Office said an Afghan man, who survived the incident and swam back to the mainland, raised the alarm shortly after 1:00 a.m. He told emergency services that 18 people had set out on the boat, which quickly took on water and sank.

A second survivor was later found on Celebi Island near Bodrum, and 14 bodies were recovered from the sea. The governor’s office said four coast guard boats, a special diving team, and a helicopter are engaged in ongoing efforts to locate other missing migrants.

The Aegean Sea is a frequent crossing point for thousands of migrants from North Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe, particularly through Turkey, which hosts millions of refugees from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

According to the Presidency of Migration Management, the number of irregular migrants intercepted in Turkey peaked at nearly 455,000 in 2019, primarily Afghans and Syrians. This year alone, more than 122,000 migrants have been apprehended in Turkey as of October 16.