Refugees fall into the sea after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos on 13 September, 2019. Photo: Reuters
New batches of Palestinian and other irregular migrants have reached the Greek island of Lesbos, coming from the Turkish seashore onboard inflatable vessels.
Rights groups said dozens of new migrants have been spotted in Lesbos, most of whom fleeing war and persecution in a number of Middle Eastern countries.
Turkey is a major crossing point for refugees and migrants trying to enter the EU.
Rights data documented the death of dozens of Palestinian refugees as they tried to cross borders on Greece-bound migrant boats.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) put the number of migrants entering Greece in 2019 at 74,613.
In 2019, Turkish authorities held nearly 455,000 irregular migrants across the country, including about 60,000 trying to cross the Mediterranean.
Palestinian refugees continue to risk their lives onboard the “death boats” to Greece, rummaging around for a momentary respite from the daily scenes of bloodshed, destruction, and dispossession.