ISTANBUL, July 31  — A total of 24 sans papiers immigrants were found dead in the international waters of the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey after a speed boat carrying them capsized on Wednesday.

Antolian news agency first reported that 18 bodies in the sea were found by coast guard teams and then updated the number of dead to 24.

The sans papiers immigrants lost their lives Wednesday when a boat carrying them sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Ezine, a district in the northwestern province of Canakkale.

Initial reports said the immigrants were traveling to the island of Lesbos in Greece. Twelve others who were also on the boat during the accident were rescued alive.

The rescue operations are underway and accompanied by planes and helicopters belonging to the coast guards.

However, there is no detail information on the nationalities of the illegal migrants and where they were from as well as their final destination.

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This is the second incident in a week happening in the Aegean Sea.

Last Friday Greek Coast Guard found five bodies off the southeastern Aegean Sea island of Kos after the sinking of a boat carrying sans papiers immigrants to Greece from neighbouring Turkey.