A boat attempting to smuggle people into Europe capsized in the crossing between Turkey and Greece yesterday, highlighting the dangers of human smuggling.

From the Guardian Newspaper:

Greek and Turkish coastguards were tonight searching the Aegean sea for the survivors from a boat carrying up to 100 illegal migrants, at least half of whom are believed to have drowned in a perilous crossing from Turkey to the EU.

The dramatic rescue operation came as Turkish officials announced that at least 53 migrants from Palestine, Somalia and Iraq had died when the overladen vessel, thought to be carrying up to 100 people, capsized off the country’s Aegean coast late on Saturday night.

The seas between Turkey and Greece has become a key crossing in people attempting to enter the European Union.

Turkey has become a major hub for illegal migration from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, with thousands fleeing poverty and conflict heading to the smuggler strongholds along its Aegean coast once they arrive in the country.

Migration experts say the illegal flow into Greece - a border EU state with one of its longest coastlines — has tripled since the year began. In recent months, far-flung Greek islands such as Samos, Chios and Mytiline have been overwhelmed by the influx.

Although ties between Nato rivals Greece and Turkey have generally improved dramatically, the appearance of so many clandestine migrants threatens to increase tensions with Athens angrily accusing Ankara of not doing enough to stop the flow. Most of the boat people head to central Europe and Britain if they succeed in reaching Greece.

Human Smuggling is a $10 Billion market.