ISTANBUL, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 migrants died after a rubber boat sank off Türkiye's southwestern Mugla province in the Aegean Sea on Friday, the Mugla Governor's Office said in a statement.

The incident occurred near the Ada Burnu area in the province after the boat carrying 18 migrants began taking on water about 10 minutes after setting off, according to the statement.

One Afghan national managed to reach the rocky shore and called for help, prompting the dispatch of Coast Guard boats and a special diving team, it said.

Rescue teams later found another survivor, bringing the total number of rescued individuals to two, while the bodies of 14 migrants were recovered, the governor's office added.

Search and rescue operations backed by a helicopter are continuing to locate the remaining missing persons, it noted. ■