Another flimsy vessel ferrying Syrian nationals and Iraqis from the “hospitable” shores of western Turkey sank early Saturday morning east of the island of Lesvos (Lesbos), with 14 people missing and a five-year-old girl drown.
The latest tragedy in the eastern Aegean comes as the Greek coast guard announced that the number of third country nationals — genuine war refugees from conflict-torn Syria but also would-be economic migrants from as far as Bangladesh — landing on Greek territories is between 2,000 and 3,000 people per day!
In terms of Saturday’s incident, Greek authorities and Frontex personnel were searching for the missing people at press time, with the missing reportedly including an infant and two women.
According to reports posted by the era-aegean.gr website, the vessel capsized when it ran out of fuel in choppy waters.
One man, identified as “Ali Younis”, told reporters that the group, numbering 23, remained in the water for six hours before the Greek coast guard spotted one survivor, who led them to the others.
He said each smuggled person paid 2,800 to traffickers for the uncharted and clandestine journey.
“They led us to our deaths, however, in a vessel without fuel and one that immediately sank.”
Food for thought:
Wouldn’t EU and UN refugee processing centers on the actual borders (!) of Syria be a better idea to identify, register and transport real war refugees — primarily nuclear families, minors, people in need — to countries around the world that will take them?