More than 48 people lost their lives in the cold waters of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece during the last three days. Babies, children, women and men were drowned in their struggle for a better life.
Only a few hours after the tragedy with 16 dead and more than 50 missing off the island of Lesvos another fatal boat sinking occurred near the island of Kalymnos.
On Friday morning, the boat carrying unknown number of refugees sank between Kalymnos and Kalolymnos. 138 people were rescued, while the bodies of three infants, 9 children, 2 men and 6 women were recovered. The number of the missing remains unknown.
Survivors at the Kalymnos hospital.
A few hours later, 3 bodies were recovered near the island of Rhodes.
A day earlier a wooden boat carrying some 340 refugees broke apart near the village of Molyvos on the island of Lesvos. The bodies of 19 people were recovered – among them 5 infants and children. 274 people were rescued. The number of the missing is estimated to be more than 50.
Survivors told media, that many of the refugees did not want to get on board after they realized that it would be overcrowded but that the smugglers “fired in the air” to scare them.
Lesvos: Doctors try to revive a child
While winds in the area are blowing with an intensity of 5 – occasionally also 7 or 8 – Beaufort, and the vessels of the Greek Coast Guard and the Frontex are picking the bodies of the dead form the sea, boats loaded with refugees keep coming from Turkey to Greece.
While Europe is still unable to find a drastic solution to tackle the huge problem of the refugees and migrants influx, the human trafficking ‘industry’ experiences its ‘glorious days’ and thus despite the bad weather conditions. They offer 50% discount to the desperate refugees if they agree to make the journey in wind and rough sea. They normally charge 1,000-1,400 euro per person, in some cases the price is 1,800-2,500 euro. The human smugglers normally abandon the boat with the refugees on an accompanying speed boat and return to Turkey, thus escaping arrest.
According to Greek media, many life vests are ‘fake’ as they are stuffed with papers and not the special foam to keep the people afloat.
From Thursday 07:00 am until Friday 07:00 am, a total of 595 people were rescued in 14 incidents that occurred off Lesvos, Chios, and other islands opposite of Turkey.
The survivors travel from the islands to the port of Piraeus and from there to Central and North Europe. The number of refugees and migrants arriving to Piraeus is more than 3,000 in the average and on a daily basis. They arrive mostly with special chartered ferries. If they are lucky, they receive a support package by local volunteers and continue their way in the unknown.
The ship passage will be halted in upcoming Monday and Tuesday, as the Greek Seamen Federation (PNO) will launch a 48-hour strike.
Speaking at the Greek Parliament, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused the European Union of doing nothing to the problem, but “throwing the ball of responsibility from one to the other” and described as “crocodile’s tears” the statements by the Europeans on the plight of the refugees and the drowned babies and children.
PS one Greek internet user proposed that instead of “Greek-Turkish joint patrols” – a plan promoted by Germany -, the Europeans would do better to charter ferries between Greece and Turkey and provide refugees and migrants with safe passage.
Shame on Europe and especially the EU. First they supported the war in Syria that has led to this tragedy and now they do nothing to stop the traffickers from putting these people in unseaworthy boats. Instead they negotiate with trafficker number 1 Erdogan. He is not doing anything either to stop the criminal and psychopathic smugglers.