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This is the shocking moment a boatload of migrants including parents and babies arrived on an idyllic Greek beach, leaving tourists stunned.
A couple sitting on Kolymbia Beach in Rhodes yesterday saw the boat full of people arriving as they were watching the sunset.
The boat contained around a dozen men and women without safety gear and two appeared to have babies strapped to their fronts. One person was also using a swimming pool rubber ring for support.
It is believed that the migrants may have been escaping from Turkey.
A 33-year-old tradesman from Newton Abbot, Devon, witnessed the arriving, saying: ‘We were there for around 45 minutes to watch the sunrise and at around 7.15am, travelling from the direction of the sun, perhaps to avoid detection, came a large ribbed boat.
Pictured, the boat can be seen approaching the Greek shoreline with a dazzling sunset behind them
The boat contained around a dozen men and women without safety gear and two appeared to have babies strapped to their fronts while one person can be seen using a pool inflatable for support
‘We initially thought it was a tourist boat coming into the Bay Area, but quickly realised it was full of people.
‘The rest is clear to see on the video. People were dropped off on the beach.’
The couple went back to their hotel afterwards, informed the staff of what happened and they contacted the police.
Police tracked the migrants to a a church but it is not clear what has happened to them.
‘It was very, very sad to see and we made our way back to our hotel along with a few other bystanders quite promptly,’ the 33-year-old added.
‘We went and spoke to our hotel, informed them of what we had witnessed and they contacted the police.
‘Later that day we saw the gentleman who said the police tracked them to a church but wasn’t allowed to say no more as to what happened.
‘I think it’s something that needs to be seen to be believed.
The couple initially thought it was a tourist boat coming into the Bay Area, but quickly realised it was full of migrants
Greece and Italy are among the most popular destinations from migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean. (Migrants can be seen departing from the boat)
It is believed that the migrants may have been escaping from Turkey. Those from the Middle East often attempt to make the shorter but no less perilous journey west across the Mediterranean from Turkey
‘The wars raging over in the Middle East are clearly driving these people to desperate measures and it needs to change.’
Greece and Italy are among the most popular destinations from migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
Many migrants from African nations embark on the trips from ports in Libya – where human traffickers have capitalised on the country’s instability.
Those from the Middle East often attempt to make the shorter but no less perilous journey west across the Mediterranean from Turkey, having arrived there from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Turkey in 2016 inked a deal with the EU to stop migrants and refugees crossing into Greece in return for some €6billion – later increased to €9billion – to provide infrastructure and humanitarian aid to the migrants it accepted.
Under the deal, Turkish authorities would prevent migrants from trying to reach Greece and accept the return of those who did.
For every migrant Turkey took back from Greece, the EU would allow one Syrian refugee in Turkey who had their asylum request approved to be permitted entry into an EU state.
But in 2020 Ankara said the deal could no longer be enforced and began refusing to accept returns from Greece – a factor which may have contributed to the Greek coastguard’s alleged actions that resulted in migrant deaths.
