Family of drowned three-year-old Syrian boy sought asylum in Canada, but was turned down

Baku. 3 September. REPORT.AZ/ The family of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, whose photograph was taken at the Turkish beach where his body washed ashore, was seeking asylum in Canada but was refused by the country, reported media outlets, Report informs referring to Turkish Daily Sabah. 

A Vancouver-area woman had sought to sponsor the mother and two children but that her request was turned down by Canadian immigration officials, a Canadian legislator Fin Donnelly told The Canadian Press. 

Donnelly said the woman tried to sponsor her nephews Aylan and Galip Kurdi and their mother, all three of whom drowned.

Images of the body of Aylan, 3, washing up on a Turkish shore shocked the world and prompted emotional appeals Thursday to governments to do more to help migrants.

The 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, his 5-year-old brother Galip and mother Rihan died on the same boat on Wednesday, as their boat carrying refugees attempting to cross to the Greek islands from the Turkish coast sank. The father, Abdullah, is said to have survived.

As the picture of Aylan's little body on the shore circulated in the media and had been retweeted thousands of times in the first few hours shortly after the accident, some social media users have also shared images of Aylan and his brother Galip when they were living a peaceful life in Syria.