No. There is no end. Refugees keep coming from Turkey to Greece and tragedies are endless. A baby, two little girls, a woman. They all died after their boat collided with a Greek Coast Guard vessel that was supposed to rescue them. Four more migrants are reportedly missing. The latest tragedy occurred half nautical mile off coast of Molyvos, on the Greek island of Lesvos on Thursday morning.
According to Greek media, the old boat made of wood and packed with refugees and migrants was struggling with the rough sea and the strong winds blowing. A Greek Coast Guard boat had sailed to rescue the people.
Early reports said that 8 migrants were missing, but later media reported that “search crews had recovered the bodies of a woman, two little girls and a baby while coastguard vessels continued to search for another four people believed to be missing from the crash.”
Meanwhile the number of dead has rose to 7:
one baby, 3 children, one man, two women
Another 31 people of undisclosed nationality were rescued, the coastguard said. Officials say an investigation was ordered to determine how the 30-metre (100-foot) patrol vessel collided with the migrant boat.
Pictures published on Friday:
Search & Rescue crews recover the bodies of children
The coastguard said that according to initial findings, the migrant boat had apparently attempted to flee.
Some 3,000 migrants and refugees have lost their lives trying to reach Europe via Greece and Italy in the cold waters.
On Wednesday, a woman, a young girl and a baby died after their boat sank off Lesvos.
Athens and the UN refugee agency have both called on the European Union to open up more legal channels for people fleeing war and persecution, so that they do not have to risk their lives to reach safety.
Tomorrow Friday, refugees, migrants and residents of Lesvos will be in the honorable position to receive high-ranking visitors: A huge delegation consisting of European Parliament President Martin Schulz, EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, a director of Frontex and other national and international officials will visit the registration center in Moria village. Then they will return back to their polished offices with a pleasant expression on their faces and the satisfaction that they have done their duty: they saw in real life refugees, migrants and possible angry residents.
You forgot the satisfaction to have survived the jet-lag due to 2 hours more sun than in ugly Brussels and the pleasure they have when their drivers are fast enough to reach their own personal toilets to take enormous brave shits