Greek coastguards kill smuggler

ATHENS, Greece -- A Turkish man was shot dead in his boat by Greek coastguards on Thursday after dropping off nine illegal immigrants on the island of Kos.

The 23-year-old was seen speeding away in a boat and was told to stop, the Greek Merchant Marine ministry said in a statement.

Coastguards fired several warning shots, some of which were aimed at the vessel's engine. "He was wounded by bullets that had ricocheted," the ministry statement said.

Turkey described the incident as unacceptable.

"We regret the death of one of our citizens as a result of gunfire from Greek coastguards," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Such actions leading to death, regardless of the particulars of the incident or its motive, are unacceptable."

The six Iranian and three Iraqi immigrants were being held in Greece.

Thousands of immigrants from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe cross illegally into Greece every year through its northern border or by sea, many aiming for central or northern Europe.