EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE-LESBOS Hundreds of migrants continue to arrive on Greek island

Record ID: 143133

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE-LESBOS Hundreds of migrants continue to arrive on Greek island
  • Date: 21st August 2015
  • Summary: LESBOS, GREECE (AUGUST 21, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SLEEPING ON THE PAVEMENT AT LESBOS PORT TENTS HOUSING MIGRANTS AT PORT STATUE VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SITTING AROUND STATUE COLUMN MIGRANT BOY MIGRANT FAMILY SLEEPING IN AND AROUND TENT MIGRANT FILLING BOTTLES WITH WATER MIGRANT WASHING HIS HANDS WITH SEA WATER SEA GARBAGE AT SEA VARIOUS OF COAST GUARD BOAT CARRYIN
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAHOZ6V54OX2031M58KUT1Y71M
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Migrants continued to arrive in the Greek island of Lesbos on Friday (August 21), many of them waiting in long registration lines with the local port police in order to continue on further with their journey.
    Families were seen sleeping on the floors at the port, while others were in tents.
    Around 8,000 migrants are still living on the island, according to officials. A passenger ferry chartered by the government has already made two trips to the northeastern Aegean island to relieve the situation, bringing around 3,000 migrants to Athens.
    Several migrants also sat around the Statue of Liberty which is modeled after the eponymous statue found in New York.
    Water and hygiene are two major concerns of migrants in Lesbos. Several were seen filling their bottles with public tapwater or washing their hands with sea water.
    Volunteers helped migrants as they waited in long queues outside the port police, providing them with bottled water and blankets for children.
    In spite of the challenging conditions, migrants appreciated the efforts made by the locals.
    "Very, very good, very good, really, very good people, very good country, we are happy," said Atif, a refugee from the war-torn Syria.
    Several migrants embarked on a United Nations Refugee Agency bus to continue with their journey.
    Last week's arrivals in Greece were equal to almost half the number for all of 2014 and bring the total for this year to 160,000.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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