Greece's coastguard fired warning shots before arresting two Turks aboard a speedboat carrying 16 Iraqi illegal immigrants near the southeastern Aegean island of Kos, the ministry of the marine said.
Police chased the smugglers' speedboat and fired warning shots in the air after they ignored orders to halt, the ministry said in a statement.
One of the smugglers dived into the sea in an escape bid but was picked up shortly afterwards by a second Greek patrol boat, added the statement,
The two Turkish smugglers, Husein Hunsu Ceyan, 43, and Yurdakul Mercan, 28, were taken into custody in Kos and their speedboat seized.
The 16 Iraki Kurds -- 10 men, a woman and five children -- will appear in court.
Greece's coastguard has netted 3,504 illegal immigrants so far this year, arresting 133 smugglers and seizing 37 boats, according to the ministry -- ATHENS (AFP)
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