- Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE LESBOS Thousands of migrants leave Lesbos on ferry
- Date: 23rd August 2015
- Summary: LESBOS, GREECE (AUGUST 23, 2015) (REUTERS) ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS PASSENGER FERRY ENTERING HARBOUR OF THE CITY OF MYLITINII VARIOUS OF ARAB MIGRANTS PROTESTING OUTSIDE THE PORT, DEMANDING PASSAGE ON THE FERRY POLICE CARS MOVING THROUGH CROWDS OF MIGRANTS 4 VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS WAITING FOR THE FERRY FERRY DOCKING SOUNDBITE (English) UNIDENTIFIED REFUGEE WOMAN FROM SYRIA SAYING: "I'm going to Germany, because my family is in Germany. Athena (Greek) people are so good. Thank you to all government of Athens." VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS WAITING FOR THE FERRY SOUNDBITE (English), MOHAMMAD, REFUGEE FROM SYRIA, SAYING: "We came from Syria and we stay here four days. This place is good, but the boat was late for some days." VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS WAITING TO BOARD THE FERRY MIGRANTS RUSHING TO THE SHIP VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS BOARDING THE SHIP CHILDREN WALKING WITH PARENTS TO THE SHIP MORE PEOPLE BOARDING THE SHIP VARIOUS OF REFUGEES CAMPING IN THE PORT VARIOUS OF COUPLE BEING TURNED AWAY BY POLICE BECAUSE THE FERRY IS ALREADY FULL VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING AND SLEEPING ON A STREET VARIOUS OF FERRY LEAVING HARBOUR
- Embargoed: 7th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAE5HSEU2NKVBS5KJ5DBH5826EW
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Greece ferried around 2500 mainly Syrian migrants to its mainland on Sunday (August 23) for a third time in four days.
The authorities are struggling to handle a growing influx which is pushing meagre resources to breaking point and turning its northern border into a tinderbox of crowds amassed for passage to northern Europe.
The car ferry chartered by the Greek government picked up 2,500 refugees from Lesbos island and headed to the port city of Pireaus near the capital Athens.
Refugees have typically headed northwards by train or bus to the city of Thessaloniki, hoping for passage into Macedonia and from there to central Europe.
Greece, mired in its worst economic crisis in generations, has been found largely unprepared for the mass influx of migrants, mainly Syrians.
Arrivals have exceeded 160,000 this year, triple the total arrivals of 2014. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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