At least 22 people die as a boat carrying migrants sinks off the coast of Turkey.
ADVERTISEMENTA boat has capsized off the coast of Turkey drowning at least twenty two migrants attempting to reach the shores of the Greek island of Kos.
The Turkish Coastguard says it was able to rescue a further 200 people and bring them back to shore.
The group was reportedly attempting to cross the Aegean Sea when it went down near the Datcha peninsula, not far from Bodrum, where Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi’s body washed up two weeks ago.
Greece is on the frontline of the migration crisis sweeping Europe.
Euronews discussed the issue with Alexis Tsipras, leader of the Syriza Party, who recently stepped down as Greek prime minister.
“When three-year-old children are getting washed up on our shores, then what is really washed up is European civilisation. We have to take responsibility collectively as a European family and come up with a solution to this problem. We must not have this attitude of “we have it in our neighbourhood, but the others who have it in their yard have to solve it.” So, funds are needed, reinforcement of the infrastructure is needed. Another policy is needed that unfortunately today’s Europe doesn’t have.”
As Europe discusses how best to handle the number of arrivals, border-control agency Frontex announced a record 156,000 migrants entered the EU in August.
This brings the total this year to 500,000. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has announced it expects at least 850,000 migrants to enter the continent this year.
One Syrian man who had reached the port of Piraeus, near Athens, told the media:
“We heard the news that they closed the borders, or something like that, but we have no other choice. We have even (either) to go on, or to come back to our death.”
Despite the prospect of greater border controls and new laws restricting travel, many, it seems feel they have no option but to continue their journey.