Migrants have once again found themselves in distress in the southern Aegean – the Greek coast guard was able to rescue all 61 passengers from the overcrowded sailing boat. Two inmates were arrested as suspected smugglers.
The Greek coast guard has rescued 61 migrants from the sea south of the Cyclades island of Serifos. The incident occurred on Friday, the authority announced. Accordingly, the approximately 15 meter long, overcrowded sailing boat was in distress.
Four patrol boats, an aircraft and a tanker were involved in the search and rescue work. Two of the inmates were arrested as suspected smugglers. The migrants are to be taken to a registration center near Athens.
Serious accident in June
Greece says it has recorded an increasing number of smuggling boats bringing migrants into the country in the past two months. Most tried to get from the Turkish coast to Greek islands in the Aegean using rubber boats.
In June, a fishing vessel with an estimated 500 to 750 people on board sank in international waters southwest of Greece. Only 104 people survived.
Registration warehouses are filling up
From Thursday to today alone, around 500 migrants arrived on Greek islands. This is also shown by the occupancy of the registration camps on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos: According to the Ministry of Migration, almost 4,000 migrants lived there at the end of June. At the end of August there were 8,430, more than twice as many. The total capacity of the warehouse is 15,000.
Source : Tages Schau