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The Coast Guard on the island of Skiathos found 53 Syrian immigrants abandoned on the Peristera desert island, which is part of the Sporades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Among them, there were 8 children aged 1 to 6, and 15 women.

The immigrants were abandoned on the island by a trafficker. Having no other means to communicate their presence, they lit a fire, resulting in 0.2 ha of burned grass and shrubs.

The rescue operation was over yesterday afternoon, with Coast Guard officers having shipped the castaways to the town hall on the nearby island of Alonissos.

Late in the evening, the Syrians were put on a ferry and shipped to the port of Volos, where at about 4 a.m. port police delivered them to the Police Directorate in Magnesia. After having been identified, the immigrants were taken to the Volos refugee centre.

According to Athens News Agency, in the last 24 hours the Coast Guard has saved 582 illegal immigrants in 21 rescue operations in different parts of the eastern Aegean, off the islands of Samothrace, Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Agathonisi, Kos and Rhodes.

Photo: Athens News Agency

Meanwhile, the Eleftherios Venizelos ro-ro ferry arrived today at 14.15 at the port of Kos. As previously reported, the ship is expected to accommodate about 2,500 immigrants from the island for about 15 days. Sources claim the ship will most likely be replaced with another one.

Photo: Eurokinissi