Figures from the Greek Coast Guard released on Friday show 142% more immigrants arrived during the first four months of 2014 than in the same period last year. Figures show that a total of 4,363 would-be migrants were stopped by the Coast Guard and the Greek Police.
Coast guard sources claim that a large number of would-be migrants on the coastline of neighboring Turkey are waiting to board vessels destined for Greece or Italy. Refugees abandoning war-torn Syria have swelled the numbers of those seeking to reach Europe via Turkey. Immigrants pay human traffickers between 1,500 to 4,5000 euros each.
Greece is considered as a gateway to the European Union, but thousands of immigrants have died trying to cross Aegean in rickety boats.
On Monday, May 5, two boats carrying immigrants capsized in the northeastern Aegean Sea off the coast of Samos, leading to the death of 22 people including four children. Greek coast guard authorities managed to rescue another 24 immigrants.
The increased flow of immigrants to Greece is an issue of primary importance for the Coast Guard, which has sought the support of the armed forces, particularly the Navy, to help deal with the phenomenon.
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