Istanbul: On Friday, in a tragic incident, seven people including five children lost their lives after a boat carrying 17 people capsized off Turkey's Aegean coast. All the passengers were reportedly refugees. Five have been rescued while five are still missing with the authorities reportedly trying to locate them. Among the 17 on board the boat, one was a human trafficker, as per the coast guard. 

also read: Two rickshaw driver arrested for allegedly raped a teenage girl

According to the Turkish coast guard, 7,100 migrants have attempted to cross over so far alone in 2019. In a bid to escape the turmoil in their own country, thousands have attempted to cross to Europe undertaking the dangerous Aegeans sea route. These migrants include people from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and some African nations. Turkey has been among the main routes for migrants trying to cross to Europe in recent years.

The infamous photograph of Alan Kurdi, whose body was washed up on a shore had brought international attention to the migration crisis leading to a global outcry over the issue. The United Nations had launched "WithRefugees campaign to display solidarity with the refugees after the photograph went viral. 

also read: A 30-year-old man allegedly set three kittens on fire inside a burning carton