December 2019

The Greek Coast Guard said on Friday that it had rescued 400 refugees and migrants towards the end of last week in ten separate incidents in the seas off the city Alexandroupolis and the islands of Lesvos and Chios.
Authorities also arrested three individuals who are believed to be migrant traffickers.
The number of migrants staying at the Moria refugee reception and identification facility on Lesvos Island has reached 16,023 people, the North Aegean Police Directorate reported on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, two ferries carrying 96 refugees and migrants from the islands of Chios, Leros and Kos arrived at the port of Piraeus on Friday morning, as part of the government’s efforts to decongest its migrant camps.
The new arrivals will be sent to different accommodation facilities in the Greek mainland.
In the meantime, Cyprus authorities have also rescued 120 Syrian migrants from a boat adrift off the island's southeastern coast, police said on Friday.
The boat was spotted on Thursday and the migrants –- including 20 children, 14 of them unaccompanied minors, and three women -- were taken to a reception centre outside the capital Nicosia.
The migrants told police they had crossed the Syria-Turkey border and the boat sailed from Mersin in Turkey, a route previously used by people smugglers.
Those on board said they had paid $4,000 each for the journey to the smugglers, who managed to get away.

Greek Tribune