ANKARA - A total of 61 illegal migrants were killed and 46 others rescued after a boat carrying them sank in Aegean Sea off western Turkey on Thursday, an official statement said.

The killed included 12 men, 18 women, 28 children and 3 babies as the boat sank in Aegean Sea off the coast of Menderes town of Izmir province, said the statement issued by Izmir Governor's Office.

A diver from the Turkish sea police (C) carries a girl in a rescue boat as other divers look for victims in the Aegean sea off Menderes, western Turkey, Sept 6, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

"Rescued illegal Palestinian and Syrian immigrants were brought to the Ahmetbeyli Gendarmery Station and went through a health check-up. Two of those rescued were taken to a local hospital. The Prosecutor's Office in Menderes began an investigation on the boat, " the statement said.

The survivors, mostly from Iraq and Syria, managed to swim to the shore, local newspaper Today's Zaman reported, adding that the captain of the boat and his assistant were rescued and detained.

The passengers were allegedly trying to enter European countries illegally, said the report.

Search and rescue efforts are still under way to retrieve the remaining bodies, the report added.