Continued deaths of migrants on route to Europe

The Greek coast guard announced that the bodies of two presumed migrants — an adult man and a young girl — were found on the shore of Rhodes Island in the southeastern Aegean Sea.

The two, believed to have drowned, were discovered by coast guard officers on the Mavros Kavos coast. The coast guard also rescued three others alive.

According to the local news outlet Rodiaki, the victims had been aboard an inflatable boat operated by smugglers, who abandoned their passengers close to the shore before heading back out to open waters.

The report added that the two deceased, along with 10 others who managed to reach the shore, had departed from Turkey’s coastline.

In addition, 38 other migrants were found by Greek police in the Gennadi area near Rhodes Island.

The Greek coast guard stated that all 41 survivors were transferred to the island’s port authority, while the bodies were taken to the Rhodes General Hospital.

Recently, the Greek government announced a three-month suspension of asylum applications for anyone arriving by sea from North Africa.

The Ministry of Migration has also drafted a new law that allows the detention of migrants for up to two years for illegal entry, and up to five years for illegal residence in Greece.