A six-year-old child fell victim to a fire that swept through the notorious Moria migrant/refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos (Mytilene) on Monday.
According to reports, an evacuation of the thousands of third country nationals being hosted at the “hotspot” was ordered.
In a related development, 193 third country nationals that were travelling on a still unidentified motorship that was grounded on the Cyclades island of Kea were placed in quarantine.
The group, reported as would-be asylum seekers and irregular migrants seeking to reach western Europe, had disembarked from Turkey – the country that has now emerged as the “mustering point” for people smuggling rings attempting to smuggle irregular migrants to Europe.
The group includes a small number of children but also two pregnant women.
Greek coast guard officials said the dilapidated vessel had a “one-off” purpose, namely, a single smuggling journey.
Three of those aboard were identified as migrant smugglers.
According to reports, the third country nationals had been promised passage to Italy, although gale force winds forced it to approach Kea.
