A boat carrying refugees capsized in Lake Van, in the area of the rural Altınsaç neighborhood in Van province on June 27. According to reports, the boat was carrying around 70 Afghan refugees.

After setting off from Altınsaç Neighborhood in Gevaş district of Turkey's eastern Van province, the boat has got missing. While the bodies of six refugees were found on June 1, the search and rescue teams recovered the dead body of one more refugee today.  The search and rescue operations are still ongoing.

In the meantime, Van Governor’s Office denied “the unfounded news that the boat has been found”.

Hundreds of refugees from Central Asian countries, especially Afghanistan and Iran arrive in Van almost every day. The fact that refugees come to Van without encountering any obstacles strengthens the claims that the State is actually closing an eye on the border crossing.

There is a police station and a tower watch every 100 meters on both sides of the border between Turkey and Iran. However, refugees are pouring into Turkey from Iran apparently without any obstacle.

The State, which has opened the borders to refugees are banning Kurds from crossing it, for example to make some trade. Indeed, Kurdish youth who try to cross the border are shot at by Turkish soldiers.

The tragedy of the refugees coming to Van does not end there. During the winter months, 50 refugees who tried to pass from Iran to the province of Çaldıran froze to death. As a result of an accident involving a minibus full of refugees being smuggled by human traffickers, 17 people died and 50 people were injured.

On the Turkey-Iran border in the last 3 years, hundreds of refugees froze to death or died in traffic accidents. On 28 June in Muradiye, province of Van, one refugee lost his life and 41 were injured as a result of an accident involving the vehicle in which the refugees were traveling.