Harrowing footage has emerged showing Turkish fishermen rescuing an a 18-month-old boy in a lifejacket, after the boat carrying him and other refugees capsized.

Video of the incident shows how the fishermen from the Aegean town of Kuşadasi find the toddler, now identified as Muhammad Hasan, floating in the water as the boat sailed from Turkey to Greece, The Guardian reported on Sunday.

Initially believing he was dead, it was only when the boy started to make noises that they realised he was alive and immediately pulled him out of the water to administer first aid. They also found another group of refugees floating in their lifejackets nearby.

“He was all pale. We suspected our-wheel-drive vehicles as he was cold and his hands and feet were all white. He was also frothing at the mouth. We covered the baby with a blanket, tried to rescue him. After our call, a tow boat from the harbour arrived to help us before taking the baby to Kuşadasi,” Recep Evran, the captain of the boat said after the incident.

According to reports, at least two refugees died and 16 others went missing as at least two boats heading to Greece capsized off the Aegean coast. The Turkish coastguard was still searching for missing refugees.

Muhammad is now reported to be in good health at the state hospital in the provincial capital, Izmir, after initial treatment in Kuşadasi.

Source: AFP