NEWS

Flow of migrants to islands continues over Christmas

Flow of migrants to islands continues over Christmas

The flow of refugees and migrants to and from the Greek islands continued over the Christmas holidays.

Some 6,000 people arrived at the port of Piraeus on Christmas Day and Boxing Day on ferries from Lesvos, Chios and Samos. Nevertheless, thousands of refugees and migrants remained on the islands, Lesvos in particular.

According to authorities, there were some 6,000 people at the Moria registration camp and another 1,500 at the Kara Tepe camp.

Also, on Saturday the International Red Cross opened a new reception center in the area of Eftalou. The center is designed to host around 2,000 people while they wait to leave the island.

On Christmas Day, authorities found two drowned migrants, one off Leros and the other near Samos. The coast guard and Frontex also rescued 265 migrants and arrested two suspected traffickers.

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