Thirty one illegal immigrants drowned on Saturday as they were trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. The boat that sank off Turkey’s Aegean coast was carrying at least 60 migrants, according to an official.

Local Gov. Orhan Sefik Guldibi said that the 50-foot boat sank Saturday just off the coast of Seferihisar due to the bad weather, USA Today informs. Seferihisar is a town located south of the city of Izmir.

He said that the boat sank little after it had set out. Thirty one bodies that reached ashore were recovered and other six were rescued late Sunday. They received hospital treatment, mostly due to the shock.

Among those six, two were Palestinians. Other information regarding the nationalities of the others who got rescued was not released.

Guldibi said: "The survivors said there were between 60 and 70 people on board. We are afraid that the death toll will rise."

Coastal patrol boats and helicopters were joined by local fisherman in searching the area where the boat sank, DPA reports.

Many immigrants pass illegally through Turkey to reach European countries in search for a better life.

Turkey, who wants to join the European Union, is pressed to suppress the illegal immigration.

The carrying of illegal immigrants to Greece on overcrowded boats is very usual, so accidents like this are common.

Greece, with a 8,000 mile coastline made up of thousand of islands, accused Turkey for not giving its best in trying to stop illegal immigration.