By Esber Ayaydin

IZMIR, Turkey

The Turkish Coast Guard held 43 undocumented migrants trying to reach Greece using a dinghy in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday, according to a security official.

The incident took place off Dikili in the Izmir province, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Among the migrants were two Syrians, 10 Eritreans, four Yemenis, two Somalis, and a Senegalese, who were later taken to a provincial migration authority.

A total of 1,352 migrants were also held in other operations, according to security sources. 

Turkish security personnel held 1,273 Syrian migrants who had crossed into Turkey from Syria, and 62 were also held when trying to illegally cross into Greece.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.