Aegean Boat Report assists stranded migrants

Aegean Boat Report has told of how its advice provided succour for a group of stranded 52 people in Barbalias, off Lesvos.

The organisation said the people tried to hide on the island, afraid of what Greek authorities would do, but its advice made them have a rethink.

“At first light this morning Aegean Boat Report was contacted by a group of 52 people, 14 men, 16 women and 19 children who had arrived on the desert island of Barbalias, only 1 km from land on the north east side of Lesvos,”Aegean Boat Report said.

“The group asked for assistance, so that they could be transported to land on Lesvos, be provided with food, water and medical attention, and given the opportunity to apply for international protection.

“At first the group tried to hide on the island, afraid of what Greek authorities might do to them if found, they told us that they were afraid to be taken back to Turkey.

“The Greek coast guard was already on location, from pictures and videos we received we could clearly see a P355 GR coastal patrol vessel belonging to the Hellenic coast guard stationary a few hundred meters from the island, and a RIB on it’s way towards the shore.

“People were initially scared, because they saw masked men onboard the RIB heading towards them, and feared that they were coming to beat them and push them back, as many of these people have personally experienced in the past.

“They have a legitimate reason to be scared, no question about it, but we explained to them that the only way off this desert island, since their rubber boat was damaged when they arrived, was by assistance from the coast guard, hiding wouldn’t do any good.

“They reluctantly listened to our advice, and started walking toward the area where the RIB had arrived, while doing so they took pictures and videos and sent to us to document the situation, in case something went wrong.”

Continuing, it said: “From what we could observe from the footage received, the Greek coast guard transported them in groups toward land on Lesvos, we could see no indication of foul play

“Just after 10 local Greek time we lost contact with the people from the group, we assume that the Greek coast guard has told them to turn off their phones, or even confiscated them, as they routinely do when people are taken to the Reception and Identification Centers.

“We will try to get confirmation that the group has been taken to the RIC on Lesvos, so far we haven’t been able to. We assume that everything is ok, and that people are on their way to the camp, we are following up to get this confirmed.”