Death Toll On Refugees Trying To Reach Greece Reportedly Increases To 50 In 5 Days
On Sunday, Greek coastguards recovered another 11 bodies of refugees off the Aegan island of Samos, with most of them being infants, increasing the death toll to 50 in just five days, reported The Guardian Nov. 1.
A boat from Turkey reportedly capsized as it dangerously crossed the sea in the stormy weather heading towards Greece.
"We recovered 11 drowned bodies, 10 of which were trapped inside the boat's cabin," said one coastguard official.
Among the recovered bodies in the boat were four women, two children and four babies, while another body of a girl was found washed ashore on the island.
In five days, the 50 bodies recovered from the sea and shores were mostly women and children Syrian refugees trying to make their way to the west to reunite with the men who have traveled earlier.
According to Independent Nov. 1, the Greek coastguards were able to rescue 15 passengers, while they search for the other two missing people.
Over 80 deaths have been reported on October, many of which are children, as more and more refugees risk their lives to reach Greece. This year, 600,000 were fortunate enough to make it to the European island alive.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras extended his "endless grief" to the families of the departed and claimed that Europe is only shedding "crocodile tears" and pointed out the country's "inability to defend its values."
"The world has aid organizations, but it is simply not doing enough," said Norwegian paramedic on Lesbos, Mona Martinsen. "What the west is doing is a drop in the ocean. It's not right. They have to come here and help."
The International Rescue Committee sent a team of Lesbos to aid in the search and rescue of the Syrian refugees, but Europe's lack of support makes relief efforts even harder.
"These terrible drownings will not be the last, unless there is a quantum shift in the breadth and depth of European effort," said IRC president and former British foreign secretary, David Miliband. "Prime Minister Tsipras is right to speak of European shame. Now we need European action."
