Ankara, December 19 (RHC)-- At least 18 refugees have died after their boat overturned in the Aegean Sea on the way from Turkey to Greece, the Turkish coastguard says. The fatalities occurred on Saturday when a vessel en route from Turkey to the Greek island of Kalymnos went down.

Some 14 others on the boat were pulled to safety by the Turkish coastguard, according to local media. The boat included people from different countries including Syria, Iraq and Pakistan.

The incident was the latest in a string of refugee boat tragedies off the Greek shore. On December 10, four asylum seekers said to be of Iraqi origin died after a boat capsized off the Greek coast.

Europe is facing record refugee arrivals and officials in the European countries reportedly remain divided over how to deal with refugees.