BODRUM — A rubber boat carrying migrants capsized in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday following a high-speed chase by the Turkish coast guard, killing 18 people. The sinking occurred off the coastal city of Bodrum.

At least 21 other migrants were rescued from the water. The Turkish Coast Guard Command said the boat carrying dozens of migrants ignored repeated warnings to stop and attempted to flee at high speed.

The boat began to take on water in rough seas and eventually capsized. Rescue teams supported by a helicopter dispatched from the city of Izmir pulled 21 survivors from the water.

Rescue teams recovered 18 bodies. They were continuing to look for any possible remaining victims.

The nationalities of the people on board the boat were not immediately known. The island of Kos lies about 20 kilometers from Bodrum, and other nearby Greek islands include Kalymnos, Leros, and Symi.

Greece is one of the main entry points into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Many migrants travel from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in small boats, a journey that can be dangerous.

Many of these small boats are unseaworthy or set out in bad weather, and fatal accidents have been common.