ATHENS: Greek authorities on Friday rescued greater than 150 individuals, together with a number of youngsters, who have been heading in small boats from Turkey to the close by jap Aegean Sea islands, the coast guard mentioned. The rescues got here amid an increase in crossings to European Union member Greece by individuals from the Center East and Africa searching for a greater life within the rich 27-country bloc. The coast guard mentioned 101 individuals have been picked up from boats off the island of Lesbos in three separate situations Friday, and one other 53 have been discovered on two vessels off Samos. All have been taken to reception facilities for asylum-seekers. The coast guard additionally mentioned one other 35 individuals have been picked up from two small boats off Lesbos late Thursday. That raises the full variety of rescues on Wednesday and Thursday to nearly 500. Regardless of the rise in migration to Greece, Italy is the primary entry level within the EU for migrants with about 113,000 arrivals thus far this 12 months and Spain follows with greater than 21,000, in keeping with United Nations figures. The determine for Greece is 17,300.
