In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Greek Coast Guard rescued 51 migrants, including 23 children, from the island of Kalolimnos. The migrants were promptly transported to the port of Kalymnos, where they were found to be in good health. According to their statements, they had embarked from the Turkish coast on a speedboat in hopes of reaching Europe.
The migrants reported paying traffickers between $1,000 and $1,400 each for the perilous journey. The Port Authority of Kalymnos has initiated a preliminary investigation into the incident.
In a separate incident on Thursday morning, the Coast Guard intercepted a boat carrying 14 more migrants south of Chios. The vessel was moving without navigation lights, and the operator, a 50-year-old trafficker, attempted to return to Turkey after disembarking the migrants on a Chios beach. The Coast Guard pursued the boat, using sound and light signals, and successfully immobilised it.
The trafficker was subsequently identified by the migrants during the preliminary investigation and was arrested by Greek authorities. The 14 migrants were taken to a closed controlled structure on Chios for further processing.
(Source: In.gr)
