A baby has been rescued on the Greek island of Tilos after being stranded with his parents for three days.
The 50-day-old boy was saved by residents of the island on Saturday (August 17), officials say.
The baby and his family were part of a group, including other children and pregnant women, who had been abandoned in a rocky area by smugglers.
Highlights
- A 50-day-old baby was rescued from the Greek island of Tilos after being abandoned by smugglers.
- The boy survived on milk diluted with seawater.
- Local residents and an off-duty coast guard were instrumental in rescuing the baby and other stranded refugees.
Image credits: Maria Kamma
Authorities say an off-duty coast guard rescued the baby while other refugees were rescued by helicopter.
"The community of Tilos has once again risen to the occasion, lending a shoulder to the refugees. The locals are trying to cope in the best way possible with the 'migrant crisis' in their homeland and to help the suffering, the wounded and the distressed people," Kamma wrote.
"The baby's parents, stumped by the harsh living conditions on the island, for lack of anything better, decided to feed their baby milk diluted in seawater. Fortunately, the baby was saved."
The boy was part of a group of migrants who were abandoned in a mountainous area by smugglers
Image credits: Maria Kamma
Image credits: Maria Kamma
Kamma praised the emergency teams and volunteers for their efforts. She also mentioned that "scenes of despair" have been frequent in the last months, with some of the refugees being "badly beaten" by Turkish traffickers.
"A pregnant woman trapped on the mountain, babies and children thrown to the rugged parts of the island, women injured, men badly beaten by the Turkish traffickers, make up the scene of despair experienced by the society of my island in the last months."
The baby, who had been fed milk diluted with seawater to survive, was rescued by local residents of the island
Image credits: Maria Kamma
Videos of the rescue show the boy being held in an inflatable boat. He is now safe and healthy, according to local media reports.
The mayor mentioned that there had been "minimal" external help.
"The few port guards serving on the island have been through a lot of time, and yet they do not back down; they do not accept the loss of any human life! Two or three policemen have also been thrown into the 'game' in time to catch people alive."
Watch a video of the rescue below:
According to data updated by the United Nations Refugee Agency, more than 29,000 migrants have entered Greece illegally this year, with the majority (25,500) arriving by sea.
Migrants come mainly from Afghanistan, Syria, and Egypt.
On Tuesday (August 20), authorities on the southern Greek island of Crete detained 76 migrants who arrived on three boats at the tiny island of Gavdos, near Crete's southern coast. Migrants are detained for identification and processing, after which they can apply for asylum while waiting in refugee camps.
The baby is now safe and healthy, according to local media reports
Image credits: Maria Kamma
Human rights groups have long accused Greece of trying to push back asylum seekers and migrants, which is illegal under international law.
"During 2023, abuses against asylum seekers and migrants continued, including violent pushbacks, abuses in detention, and vigilante violence," reads a report from Human Rights Watch.
"The government also smeared and judicially harassed civil society groups working with asylum seekers and migrants."
The Greek government has consistently denied these claims, and it insists it complies with European and international law.
According to data from the United Nations Refugee Agency, 117.3 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order.
