Aegean Boat Report is honoured that its founder, Tommy Olsen, has been awarded the Annette Thommessen Honorary Award 2026 by NOAS.
The award is given in recognition of many years of work documenting pushbacks, human rights violations and the treatment of people on the move at Europe's borders.
For more than a decade, Aegean Boat Report has worked to ensure that people who are too often ignored, silenced or forgotten are seen and heard.
This recognition comes at a time when independent monitoring of Europe's borders is more important than ever.
While Norwegian courts recently rejected Greece's request to extradite Tommy Olsen, the European Arrest Warrant remains in place, highlighting the growing pressure faced by those who document and expose human rights violations.
We accept this award with gratitude, but also with a reminder:
People continue to drown at Europe's borders.
Pushbacks continue.
Human rights violations continue.
As long as this happens, independent documentation remains essential.
This award is not only recognition of work already done. It is recognition of the importance of continuing that work.
Thank you to NOAS and the jury for this honour.
https://t.co/52qriFDLqo
Last night, a group reported to be 34 people contacted Aegean Boat Report while drifting 3.5 nautical miles east of the Greek island of Farmakonisi.
According to the people onboard, the Greek Coast Guard had intercepted their boat, destroyed the engine, and left them helplessly drifting at sea in the border area between Greece and Turkey.
One message from the boat read:
“Water is coming into the boat. Women and children onboard. Please help us.”
The Turkish Coast Guard was immediately informed and launched a rescue operation. All 34 people were rescued and taken back to Turkey.
A similar incident occurred the previous night, 7 nautical miles northeast of the Greek island of Chios, involving 31 people. In that case as well, the people onboard reported that they had been intercepted by the Greek Coast Guard, their engine disabled, and left drifting at sea before being rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard.
No lives were lost in either incident.
But deliberately disabling engines and abandoning people in overcrowded, unseaworthy boats at sea during the night, without life-saving equipment or any means of reaching safety, is a recipe for tragedy.
In these two incidents alone, 65 people were left adrift at sea.
It is not a question of whether people will drown. People will drown.
The only question is when.
Aegean Boat Report will continue to monitor, document, and report these incidents. As long as people remain at risk in the Aegean, we will continue to be there to receive their calls for help, document what happens, and ensure that these events do not disappear in silence.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Samos
Just after noon today, a small group reported to be six people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving at Pythagorio Beach on the southeastern coast of Samos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on the island.
After arriving, the group walked the short distance into the town of Pythagorio and found a quiet street on the outskirts of town.
Three members of the group quickly took a taxi to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou, while the remaining three — a man, a woman and their child — stayed behind.
We encouraged them to go to the local police station, located only a few hundred metres away, but they were afraid of the police. They told us they feared being returned to Turkey and hoped that an organisation would come and collect them instead.
As is often the case, the reality on the ground is more complicated than people imagine. After some time, they too decided to take a taxi directly to the camp.
What we find particularly interesting is that both groups were able to use local taxis to reach the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou. Under Greek law, transporting undocumented refugees can potentially lead to accusations of facilitating illegal entry or residence, carrying severe penalties including lengthy prison sentences.
The number of people in this arrival has not been officially confirmed, but we know that all six reached the camp on their own and arrived safely at its gates.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
AEGEAN BOAT REPORT
Weekly Update – Week 21 (May 18 – May 24)
This week, 18 boats carrying 315 people attempted to reach the Greek Aegean Islands.
• 🚫 15 boats were stopped/pushed back — 255 people intercepted
• ✅ 3 boats arrived — 60 people were officially registered on the islands
• Several pushbacks were documented during the week
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Of all boats that attempted the journey:
✅ 16.7% reached Greece
🚫 83.3% were intercepted — either pushed back by Greek authorities or stopped by the Turkish Coast Guard
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📉 Arrivals decreased by 60.3% compared to last week
📉 The number of registered boats arriving on the islands decreased from 6 boats last week to 3 boats this week
📉 Departures decreased from 19 boats last week to 18 boats this week
📈 Transfers to the mainland increased by 23.3% (164 people relocated)
👥 Official island population: 3,429 people
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So far in 2026:
• 🚤 208 boats carrying 4,900 people have been stopped by Turkish and Greek authorities
• 🏝️ 3,101 people have been registered on the Greek islands on 108 boats
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Many of these numbers should have been significantly higher if not for the continued use of pushbacks carried out by the Hellenic Coast Guard — a practice that violates international law and continues to put lives at risk.
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Island overview – registered population:
• Lesvos: 434
• Chios: 428
• Samos: 1,185
• Leros: 661
• Kos: 714
• Other islands: 7
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📊 For more detailed statistics:
🌐 https://t.co/ZyvIhfvRuv – ABR Statistics
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Our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence from the Aegean Sea.
If you want us to continue answering distress calls and holding authorities accountable, please consider supporting our work:
💙 Support Aegean Boat Report
👉 https://t.co/YrK02yByie
New Arrivals on Samos
At noon today, a group reported to be 24 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving northeast of Ormos Agiou Isidorou, on the northwestern coast of Samos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Samos.
The group arrived in a very difficult area and had to climb steep cliffs to reach higher ground. Once there, they hid, afraid of local authorities and what might happen to them if found.
We advised the group to contact local authorities and move towards more populated areas so they could be located quicker.
We lost contact with the group for several hours and did not regain contact until the afternoon, by then they had reached the village of Drakei.
As far as we have been informed, locals in the village alerted police, and the group was eventually transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou. We have unfortunately not been able to confirm their arrival in the camp.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Rhodes
At first light this morning (Thursday 26/5), a group reported to be 29 people, 16 men, 7 women and 6 children, contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving at Traganou Beach, on the northeastern coast of Rhodes.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Rhodes. No medical issues were reported.
After landing, the group quickly moved up into the surrounding hills to hide, afraid of being pushed back by Greek authorities.
We advised the group to contact local authorities, return to the main road, and follow it north towards Rhodes town so they could be located safely and transferred for registration.
Unfortunately, the group did not follow this advice and instead continued further into the hills along a small winding road.
As the safety situation became increasingly unclear, we informed local authorities of the group’s presence. At 09.50, the group was located by police and transported to Rhodes town.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Samos
This morning, Monday 25 May, a group reported to be 26 people, around half of them children, contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving at Ormos Agiou Isidorou, on the northwestern shore of Samos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Samos. No medical issues were reported, but they told us there were many small children in the group.
After arriving, the group moved up into the hills to hide. They told us they were afraid of the authorities and what might happen if they were found. Several said they feared being pushed back to Turkey.
Unfortunately, we lost contact with the group and were unable to provide further assistance. Later, we learned that the group had been located by local authorities and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
To help us continue this work, and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVrxKW
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Leros
In the early hours of today, at 04.20, a group reported to be 28 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving east of Agia Marina, on the eastern shore of Leros.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Leros. No medical issues were reported.
Shortly after landing, the group moved away from the arrival location and into the streets of Agia Marina, where they split into several smaller groups. Some headed south, while others moved north.
We remained in contact with several of the groups and tried to persuade them to gather in the same location so they could be easier located. Unfortunately, each group had its own perception of what was safest to do.
Local authorities had already been informed by local residents, and several police officers were searching the streets for the people who had arrived.
The group members were eventually located one by one and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Lepida. When found, several told us they were afraid of what would happen to them. We again tried to reassure them that they would not be sent back.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Chios
Last night at 22.30, a group reported to be 9 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving north of Marmaro, on the northeastern coast of Chios.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Chios. No medical issues were reported.
After arrival, the group moved quickly into the surrounding hills to hide, afraid of what could happen if found by local authorities.
We advised the group not to hide, but instead to move towards more populated areas where they could be located and transported safely to camp. We also advised them to inform local authorities and organisations of their presence on the island.
Because it was dark and several people in the group had mobility issues, they felt it was safer to remain hidden until daylight and informed local authorities at dawn.
We lost contact with the group for several hours, but regained contact at 06.00. Again, we encouraged them to leave hiding and start walking towards Marmaro so they could be easier located.
As far as we know, the group began walking towards Marmaro, and local authorities had been informed of their presence on the island.
Shortly after, at 07.20, all contact with the group was lost. We believe this happened after authorities located them and instructed them to turn off their phones.
Later we were informed that the group had been found and transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Vial.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
AEGEAN BOAT REPORT
WEEKLY UPDATE – WEEK 20 (MAY 11 – MAY 17)
This week, 19 boats carrying 478 people attempted to reach the Greek Aegean Islands.
• 🚫 13 boats were stopped/pushed back — 327 people intercepted
• ✅ 6 boats arrived — 151 people were officially registered on the islands
• Several pushbacks were documented during the week
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Of all boats that attempted the journey:
✅ 31.6% reached Greece
🚫 68.4% were intercepted — either pushed back by Greek authorities or stopped by the Turkish Coast Guard
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📈 Arrivals increased by 228.3% compared to last week
📈 The number of registered boats arriving on the islands increased from 2 boats last week to 6 boats this week
📈 Departures increased from 12 boats last week to 19 boats this week
📈 Transfers to the mainland increased by 18.8% (133 people relocated)
👥 Official island population: 3,672 people
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So far in 2026:
• 🚤 193 boats carrying 4,645 people have been stopped by Turkish and Greek authorities
• 🏝️ 3,041 people have been registered on the Greek islands on 105 boats
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Many of these numbers should have been significantly higher if not for the continued use of pushbacks carried out by the Hellenic Coast Guard — a practice that violates international law and continues to put lives at risk.
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Island overview – registered population:
• Lesvos: 515
• Chios: 406
• Samos: 1,227
• Leros: 716
• Kos: 795
• Other islands: 13
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📊 For more detailed statistics:
🌐 https://t.co/ZyvIhfvRuv – ABR Statistics
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Our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence from the Aegean Sea.
If you want us to continue answering distress calls and holding authorities accountable, please consider supporting our work:
💙 Support Aegean Boat Report
👉 https://t.co/YrK02yByie
For years, Greek authorities have tried to criminalise human rights monitoring, documentation, and solidarity at Europe’s borders.
Now a unanimous ruling from the Norwegian Court of Appeal has made something very clear:
Documenting human rights violations is not a crime.
Communicating with refugees is not a crime.
Assisting people seeking asylum is not a crime.
The court concluded that my work is lawful under Norwegian law and protected by fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression.
This case was never only about me.
It is part of a much wider attempt across Europe to silence journalists, activists, volunteers, and organisations documenting what is happening at the EU’s external borders.
The European Arrest Warrant against me still remains active, meaning the legal uncertainty is far from over. But this ruling sends an important message:
Human rights work is not human smuggling.
Documentation is not criminality.
Solidarity is not a threat to Europe.
A democracy that criminalises those documenting abuses at its borders is moving in a very dangerous direction.
Thank you to everyone who stood with me throughout this process — lawyers, supporters, journalists, organisations, and ordinary people who refused to stay silent.
https://t.co/83DfKXWeQH
A major legal development in Greece.
An appellate prosecutor has now reportedly ordered criminal prosecution against the captain of a Greek Coast Guard vessel involved in the fatal ramming of a refugee boat near Chios in October 2023.
The charges include:
• homicide with possible intent
• grievous bodily harm
• serious bodily harm in series
According to the decision, there are “specific indications” and “reasonable suspicions” that the Coast Guard vessel rammed the refugee boat, and that the captain foresaw the possibility that his actions could cause death or serious injury and accepted that outcome.
This is extraordinarily significant.
For years, Greek authorities have systematically denied wrongdoing in cases involving pushbacks, violence at sea, dangerous interceptions and deaths in the Aegean — even in cases with survivors, witnesses, videos, injuries and fatalities.
In this case, the Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal reportedly rejected the official Coast Guard narrative as unconvincing.
That almost never happens.
The case now moves into a full criminal investigation.
This development also comes after criminal charges against 21 Coast Guard officers connected to the Pylos shipwreck, while countless other cases involving deaths and alleged violence at sea have been closed without accountability.
For years, survivors have told the same stories.
For years, authorities denied them.
Now even parts of the Greek judiciary appear increasingly unable to ignore what has been happening in the Aegean. https://t.co/iUzSqbVUjr
Today it became final that the Norwegian prosecution will not appeal the unanimous ruling from the Court of Appeal refusing the extradition of Tommy Olsen to Greece.
This marks the end of a long and difficult legal process in Norway, and is an important decision not only for Tommy personally, but for everyone working to document human rights violations and defend fundamental rights at Europe’s borders.
Over the past months, the support shown towards Aegean Boat Report and Tommy Olsen has been overwhelming.
Human rights organisations, journalists, lawyers, supporters, and thousands of ordinary people from around the world have spoken up, shared information, donated, contacted authorities, and refused to stay silent while humanitarian and human rights work was being portrayed as criminal activity.
We especially want to thank Amnesty International for launching and running an urgent action campaign calling on Norway to reject the extradition request, and everyone who participated in the campaign.
We also want to express our deep gratitude to lawyers Brynjulf Risnes and Zacharias Kesses for their tireless work, professionalism, and commitment throughout this entire process.
At the same time, this is not the end of the wider issue.
The criminalisation of solidarity and human rights work in Europe continues. People documenting abuses, assisting people on the move, and exposing illegal practices at Europe’s borders still face intimidation, investigations, prosecutions, and pressure.
The situation in the Aegean also continues unchanged. People are still dying at sea. Pushbacks continue. Human rights violations continue.
And so does our work.
Despite enormous pressure, attacks against our organisation, and an ongoing lack of sustainable funding, we will continue documenting what is happening in the Aegean Sea.
Because silence helps nobody.
📸 Amnesty Int. Norge/Aida Mahmody
New Arrivals on Samos
At 08.00, a group reported to be 20 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving on Cape Prason, on the northern tip of Samos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Samos. No medical issues were reported.
After arriving, the group quickly moved into the surrounding hills to hide, afraid of what could happen to them if found by local authorities.
We advised the group not to hide, but instead try to move towards more populated areas where they could be located and transferred to camp. We also advised them to inform local authorities and organisations of their presence on the island.
Local authorities had already been informed, and the group started walking west. At 11.30 we lost contact with the group and assumed they had been located by local police.
Later we were informed that the group had been found and transferred to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Zervou.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and despite the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock.
We continue to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and preserve independent evidence from Europe’s borders when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work, and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
New Arrivals on Lesvos
At 03.00, a group reported to be 21 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after arriving east of Ag. Varvara on the southern coast of Lesvos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Lesvos. No serious medical issues were reported.
After arrival, the group quickly moved up into the surrounding hills to hide, afraid of what could happen if they were found by local authorities.
We advised the group not to hide, but instead try to move towards more populated areas where they could be found and transported to camp.
We also advised them to inform local authorities and organisations of their presence on the island.
The group later found shelter in the chapel of Saint Simeon, located on a dirt track not far from their arrival location. Most of the group stayed there until first light, while a smaller group of five moved further north because they did not feel safe remaining at the chapel.
According to people in the group, local organisations and authorities were informed at first light. At 07.30, we lost all contact with the group across multiple phones, most likely because authorities arrived and they were told to switch off their phones.
We have so far not been able to confirm that the group has been transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Mavrovouni, but assume they have either already been transferred or are on their way there.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive pressure on our organisation and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report
One Dead in Attempted Crossing to Kos
Yesterday at approximately 01:00, a boat carrying 24 people ended up in distress after departing from the coast of Bodrum, Turkey.
The boat was heading towards the Greek island of Kos when it started taking in water in the Aegean Sea. The Turkish Coast Guard was informed, and a rescue vessel was immediately dispatched to the area.
Upon arrival, the Turkish Coast Guard rescued 23 people from the boat and recovered the body of one person from the sea. One of the survivors was reported to be seriously injured and was rushed to hospital in Bodrum. Their current condition remains unknown.
There is so far no confirmed information regarding the nationality, gender, or age of those rescued, injured, or deceased in this shipwreck.
Once again, another deadly incident in the Aegean highlights the dangers people face attempting to reach safety in Europe.
Today, the Norwegian Court of Appeal unanimously rejected the European Arrest Warrant issued by Greek authorities against Aegean Boat Report founder Tommy Olsen.
The court concluded that the acts described by Greek authorities do not constitute criminal offences under Norwegian law, and further found a real risk of violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights — the right to freedom of expression.
The ruling goes far beyond a technical rejection of an extradition request.
The Norwegian Court of Appeal relied on findings from the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations Special Rapporteurs, and EU Rule of Law reports documenting serious concerns about pushbacks in Greece and the targeting of human rights defenders working with refugees.
The court further recognized that the activities described by Greek authorities — documenting abuses, receiving information, communicating with refugees, and assisting asylum procedures — are protected activities under international law and freedom of expression.
This is not only an important personal victory for Tommy Olsen. It is also an important decision for journalists, human rights defenders, humanitarian workers, and everyone documenting abuses at Europe’s borders.
For years, individuals and organisations working with refugees in Greece have faced intimidation, surveillance, criminal investigations, and abusive prosecutions designed to silence criticism and stop documentation of human rights violations.
The ruling from Hålogaland Court of Appeal sends a clear and serious message:
Humanitarian work is not human smuggling.
Documenting human rights violations is not a crime.
Freedom of expression and the rule of law still matter in Europe.
The court’s decision is also a reminder that criminal law cannot be used as a weapon against those exposing unlawful pushbacks, violence, and abuse against people on the move in the Aegean Sea.
Despite years of pressure, investigations, threats, and attempts to silence our work, Aegean Boat Report will continue documenting what is happening at Europe’s borders.
We will not stop.
New Arrivals on Lesvos
At first light, a group reported to be 41 people contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after having arrived east of Ag. Varvara, on the southern coast of Lesvos.
The group provided pictures, videos, and location data confirming their presence on Lesvos. No medical issues were reported from the group.
The group had moved quickly up into the surrounding hills to hide, afraid of what could happen to them if found by local authorities.
We advised the group not to hide, and instead try to move towards more populated areas where they could be found and transported to camp.
We also advised them to inform local authorities and organisations of their presence on the island.
After some persuasion, the group agreed to come out of hiding and started walking towards the village of Ag. Varvara. They also agreed to inform local organisations.
The group later informed us that they had stopped at a small chapel they found along the road (Saint Simone). There they were located by MSF and provided with food and water. After some time, local police arrived and the group was transported to the Closed Controlled Access Centre in Mavrovouni.
The number of people in the group has not been officially confirmed.
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Despite the massive attack on our organisation, and the lack of sustainable funding, our work continues around the clock to monitor people in distress, document human rights violations, and provide independent evidence when authorities fail to protect those seeking safety.
If you want to help us continue this work and stand with people on the move, please consider supporting Aegean Boat Report through our fundraiser:
🔗 WhyDonate
https://t.co/o3tYlVqZVo
💙 Thank you for standing with us.
Aegean Boat Report