The German-Turkish online newspaper ‘Deutsch-Türkisches Journal’ (DTJ) reports (in German) that the Maden family, who lost their lives in the Aegean Sea while trying to reach safety in Greece, attempted to crossing by themselves. The family did not have enough money to pay a smuggler, so with their last funds and some borrowed money, Hüseyin Maden bought a small boat and decided to steer the boat himself to the Greek island of Lesvos.
After the coup attempt in July 2016 both Hüseyin and Nur, how had been working as teachers, had been dismissed like ten thousands of other teachers and state employees across Turkey. They couldn’t access their savings anymore and had a pending trial for ‘belonging to a terrorist organization’. Financial hardship and fear of being arrested at any time, made them take the decision decision to flee the country to Greece via Sea, a journey that ended deadly.