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epa05009386 Refugees and migrants arrive in overloaded rubber dinghies on the Greek island of Lesbos (Lesvos), Greece, 03 November 2015 after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey. Greece has become one of the focal spots for migrants trying to escape war zones and enter Europe. Hundreds of thousands of people, travelling by boat from Turkey to Greece, have embarked on the so-called Balkan migration route through Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia to Austria, with the ultimate goal of reaching Germany and other wealthy western European states.  EPA/STRATIS BALASKAS

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Nine migrants, including two babies drowned off Turkish coast – coastguard

The bodies of nine people, including two babies, were found drowned off the coast of western Turkey on Tuesday, after a boat carrying people to Greece partly capsized, the Turkish coast guard said in a statement.

The fibreglass vessel partially capsized at 0535 local time (0335 GMT) off the coast of Seferihisar in Izmir province, close to the Greek Island of Samos. Two people were rescued swimming to the shore, the coast guard said.

A crackdown on illegal crossing and the dangerous winter conditions have failed to deter tens of thousands from boarding flimsy boats and attempting to cross the Mediterranean waves in the first few weeks of the year.