Fleeing Turkey by Glider: They Landed in Greece after Running Out of Fuel

Greek authorities announced on Sunday the arrest of two Turkish nationals whose motorized glider crashed off the island of Evia in southwestern Greece, for illegally entering the country. According to a statement from the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the glider of the two men, aged 32 and 33, fell into the sea near the island close to Athens after running out of fuel. Fishermen alerted local authorities on the island after witnessing the glider fall into the water. The ministry's statement indicated that the men "took off from Smyrna in Turkey to Athens aiming to travel abroad. However, due to running out of fuel, the glider crashed off the coastal town of Karystos." They were transported to a medical center in Karystos where they received first aid. The police placed them under provisional detention for lacking travel documents. Following a failed coup against him in 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a crackdown on his opponents, which included widespread arrests. Since then, many Turks have been attempting to leave the country seeking asylum in Greece or other European countries.