Some 39 migrants, including children, drowned on Saturday when their boat capsized and sank off northwestern Turkey.

The migrant boat departed from Ayvacık town in the northwestern province of Çanakkale on Saturday morning and was headed to Greece’s Lesvos island.

The migrants were of Syrian, Afghan and Myanmar origin, according to Doğan.

Mehmet Ünal Şahin, the mayor of Ayvacık, said at least 33 people died.”At least 33 people are dead but I am afraid the numbers will rise as divers continue the search,” Şahin told CNN Türk news channel by phone.

“Local people woke up to the sound of screaming migrants “