Some 389 refugees and illegal migrants arrived at the port of Elefsina on Wednesday morning aboard the ‘Ikaria’ ferry, coming from the island of Symi.

They will be transferred to reception centres on the mainland by bus. The operation is part of a nationwide effort to relieve pressure from the islands which have seen a spike in refugee and illegal migrant flows recently.

About 4,000 illegal migrants and refugees have already been relocated to mainland facilities in the past two months, a move that has caused conflict and problems to the people already hosted in overcrowded centres.