At least 18 people were killed when an inflatable boat carrying migrants ​sank off Turkey’s western province of ‌Mugla on Wednesday, the coastguard said in a statement, adding that search and rescue efforts continued ​in the area.

The coastguard said the ​boat, with an outboard motor, was detected off the coast ​of Mugla’s Bodrum district, and that it tried ​to flee despite repeated warnings to stop.

The boat later took in water due to adverse weather and ​sea conditions in the area and ​sank, it added.

A coastguard helicopter and three boats were ‌dispatched ⁠to the area for search and rescue operations, the coastguard said, adding that they had rescued 21 people so far.

The statement ​did not say ​where ⁠the boat had departed from or where it was heading.

The Aegean ​Sea is a frequent transit route for ​thousands ⁠of migrants attempting to cross from North Africa and the Middle East into Europe, ⁠particularly from ​Turkey, which hosts millions ​of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.