14 migrants including four children die as boat capsizes off the coast of Greece
At least 14 migrants, including four children, died when a boat
carrying about 20 people capsized overnight in the Aegean Sea, Greek
police said today. The boat was ferrying migrants from Turkey to Greece.
Police recovered eight more bodies after the corpses of a man, a
woman and four children surfaced off the island of Agathonissi. Two
women and a man who managed to swim to safety sounded the alarm.
Survivors said the boat was carrying 21 people, according to port
officials.
A patrol boat, a military helicopter and three fishing vessels are
taking part in the rescue operation and officials are waiting for
reinforcements from Frontex, the European border agency. Frontex said
last month that in 2017, the European Union saw the lowest number of
detected illegal border-crossings since the migrant crisis began four
years ago.
The number dwindled to 204,700 from 1.8 million in 2015, it said. The
drop was especially observed on the eastern Mediterranean migratory
route which connects Turkey to Greece, and the central Mediterranean
route connecting Libya to Italy.
The EU last year reached deal with Turkey in 2016, which sharply
reduced the number of people crossing to Greece. It has been criticised
by humanitarian workers as it stipulates that all arrivals will be sent
back to Turkey, including Syrian refugees. Greece is also detaining
thousands of migrants in overcrowded squalid camps.
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