Close to 10,000 migrants and refugees are currently stranded on Greece's Eastern Aegean islands, according to the latest data released by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The influx has slowed, but big challenges remain for Greece.
Following the EU-Turkey agreement signed in March last year, less people have attempted to cross from Turkey into Greece on their attempt to head to Europe. Yet dealing with the thousands of people cramped into overcrowded camps is a huge issue for the local authorities. As of May 28, the exact number of migrants on the islands of Lesbos, Chios and Samos stood at 9,170, a slightly reduced figure since January 1, when it was 11,078 people.
Total numbers since 2017
According to police announcements, a total of 1,995 refugees and migrants have arrived in May alone (534 in Lesvos, 948 in Chios and 513 in Samos). Since the beginning of 2017, a total of 6,142 have arrived, of which 1,859 landed in Lesvos, 2,876 in Chios and 1,407 in Samos.
So far, 8,020 people have been deported from the islands to other areas in Greece, or were granted asylum, or even returned to Turkey in accordance with the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration, or volunteered to return to the countries of origin.
Turkish interventions
In related developments, according to data published by the Turkish Coast Guard's website, there were 27 cases of interventions in May in which the authorities prevented vessels bound for Greece to leave Turkish waters. A total of 1,216 people were taken back to Turkish refugee camps as a result.
In the first five months of 2017, there have been 120 such incidents and 4,997 people returned to Turkey, with 32 traffickers arrested.
Syrian teenager missing
Meanwhile a 14-year-old Syrian teenager has been reported missing in the Northern city of Salonica. The boy had been staying in in a refugee shelter in the Epanomi area of Salonica but has been missing since Tuesday. Police are conducting an intensive search for the teenager and urge anyone with any information concerning his whereabouts to come forward and report it to authorities.