Greece rescues 17 more migrants from river islet on Turkish border

Greek authorities rescued 17 Syrian migrants, including eight children, from an islet in the Evros River. The rescue came just a week after a similar incident involving 39 migrants.

A police statement said the migrants were left on the islet in the Evros River by a smuggler who had ferried them across from the Turkish side in a boat. All 17 were in good health, the statement said. They identified themselves as Syrians, police said.

Wednesday's rescue came a week after a similar incident involving 39 migrants found stranded on an Evros islet. In both cases, police said the migrants phoned humanitarian groups for assistance, who in turn notified Greek authorities and members of the European Union’s Frontex border agency stationed in the area.