More than 60 migrants and refugees arrived on Tuesday in various coasts of Lesvos island, coming from Turkey.
The Hellenic Coast Guard collected 15 people from the Skala of Sykamia area, in the north part of the island, at 5 am. An hour later, in the sea off the island airport, another 16 people were rescued, with the coast guard arresting the Turkish smuggler manning the boat.
Finally, at 9 am, off the Korakas cape in northeastern Lesvos, the coast guard collected 32 migrants on a stranded boat.
On Monday, 34 people landed on Lesvos, while another 56 migrants reached a Chios coast.
Based on the European Union-Ankara agreement for the readmission to Turkey of refugees who came to Greece illegally from the neighboring country, a total of 7,272 migrants and refugees are stranded on the north Aegean islands.
Specifically, 3,583 people are on Lesvos, 2,654 on Chios and 1,035 on Samos. They are accommodated at the migrant registration centers (hotspots), which have reached capacity two months ago. As a result, many of them are staying in makeshift camps, abandoned buildings and farms, around the Chios castle and out in the open.
According to Greek police, many migrants from Pakistan or Africa — persons who don’t qualify for asylum — “after months trapped on islands without actually the prospect, they have turned to delinquent behavior. They are involved in trafficking, forged travel documents or engage in theft, burglaries, and even robberies.”
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