Refugees: victims and survivors of inclement Aegean Sea

Dangerous conditions include boat trip shoddy and defective lifejackets.
Europe has become the only alternative they have to survive those fleeing the civil war in Syria, those fleeing persecution policies or who take advantage of the social conflict in the Middle East to slip through refugees and achieve European visa.

However, what it seems easy it is not so much because it means crossing the Aegean Sea, no matter if they die in the attempt.

The risk of losing their lives in the Mediterranean not only due to the bad conditions of navigation in the area especially in winter- but also to the way crossing the sea in rubber boats that are in disrepair.

"The refugees traveling by boat with a motor of very poor quality and low fuel. Not suitable for navigating the sea. For that reason remain adrift, "says Manuel Blanco, a Spanish firefighter help rescue off the coast of Lesbos, a Greek island near Turkey.

Know this interactive map routes used by refugees to cross the Aegean Sea. (For better navigation, click here)

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On the other hand, passengers of these boats are overcrowded. "They are forbidden to carry more than 20 people, but refugee smugglers mounted to travel 60. There whole family," denounces the Spanish journalist Alicia Nunez, who is part of an organization that helps in Lesbos.

Traffickers, she says Nunez, take advantage of the need of refugees, as each is a child-so in arms pay between 2,000 and 2,500 dollars (6 to 8 million Colombian pesos) for the trip.

In addition to poor quality vessels, refugees crossing from Turkey to Greece wearing life jackets that do not serve them if they suffer a shipwreck. Nunez and White say the garment is poor and workmanship used absorbent materials that have contact with water become heavy deadly traps. Those who buy them are being ripped off.

"And it's a sad situation. Children delivered them toy floats and vests. Labels reads: "It is not a life jacket. Use under the protection of an adult, "says White.

Another problem that occurs with these defective vests is its size are great for kids. The parents put their children believing that they protect. "That's why they escape from the arms and fall into the sea. It is much more dangerous than are wearing [vest] to travel without him, "said Nunez.


Photo: Refugee Care.
According to the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR), 856,723 displaced crossed the Aegean Sea from Turkey for Greece, for onward transit to other European countries. And so far in 2016, the figure is 132,177. Lesbos only 77,845 have arrived, making this island one of the points where they are most concentrated. (See also: 'Europe was not built on the idea of ​​immigration')

Cross the Aegean, the worst experience

Alicia videographer photographer and Nunez reached Lesbos in November last year when winter began to feel in this area of ​​the Mediterranean. He arrived with some Spanish colleagues to cover the humanitarian crisis that exists there on account of the arrival of thousands of refugees from Turkey.

The origin of these refugees, mostly, is Syria, Arab country where a civil war is waged since 2011.

"First we were in the camps set up in Hungary, where we hear the worst experience for them it is to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey refugees. Then decided to go to Lesbos, to know what horrified, "says Nunez via video call.

While performing his journalistic work in Lesbos, Nunez and other reporters showed the conditions under which arrived refugees: Children with wet clothes and shivering; elderly with freezing hands and feet due to low temperatures, and women with some psychological trauma, either by hard journey made at sea or because at some stage lost a son or a brother.

Likewise, witnessed how firefighters, rescue workers, doctors and all kinds of professionals from different parts of the world auxiliaban refugees who arrived on the island. This will create enthused in December 2015 Refugee Care Association, intending to return to Lesbos and assist in relief efforts.

"The association is composed of seven volunteers from different professions. Decided to create it because we want to help, "says the videoreportera.

Refugee Care function is to provide dry clothing to refugees, something to keep warm and a hot drink after lifeguards rescued from the sea.


Photo: Refugee Care.
"In Lesvos there are doctors and aid workers who help them. So what you are needed? People change clothes to children, to guide families toward the refugee camps, which met and treated well after the long journey, "said Nunez.

The money needed members of the association to return to the island and pay other expenses as obtained through contributions made by each member of the association and donations. No other European NGOs or government sponsored them.

While clothing, food and blankets to give to refugees get in Lesbos. "[The clothes] comes by the ton. In fact, an organization founded by an American is dedicated to remove the wet clothes, which with each passing day it rots and should be botarla-, dry it, wash it and then take it to the camps, "says the Spanish voluntary .

Rescue at Sea

A Manuel Blanco, a firefighter from Sevilla (Spain), which moved by the images that newspapers and television show daily on the humanitarian crisis in the Aegean Sea: bodies of children lifeless off the Greek coast, thousands of lifejackets stacked and the long faces of mothers with their children. "Seeing that he decided I was not going to be a spectator," he said via video call.

Along with two of his colleagues in December 2015 he formed a partnership to help refugees, as did Nunez. It is called PROEM-AID and brings together all kinds of professionals in attending emergency. Firefighters, rescue workers, doctors and even police officers are volunteers from this organization.

"We took the car of one of our colleagues and traveled to Greece late last year. They were 4,800 kilometers nonstop. Why so fast? Winter came and the sailing conditions at sea were much harder, "White explains.



With the help of a ship that lent them, members of PROEM-AID perform rescue operations in the Aegean. They help to boats that are beached a few kilometers from the southern coast of Lesbos or are about to sink.

PROEM-AID receives no money from large NGOs nor less than any European government. Its work is funded through fundraising events and donations that come through the website of the association.

Greece, the first season of travel

A Lesbos have come as PROEM-AID organizations and from different latitudes Refugee Care of the world. While some refugees rescue sea, others provide them care field. But the fact solid ground does not mean they have reached the final destination. Greece is only the first station, a transit country.

It appears in the records of UNHCR that 48 percent (63,445) of the refugees arriving in the country Hellene come from Syria. "But come Afghans, Pakistanis, Iranians, Iraqis, Moroccans ... Until Dominicans! Is incredible. We found a couple of Dominicans, but we explained that this was his only way to enter Europe, "said Nunez.

When they reach Lesbos, refugees must be submitted to the Greek immigration authorities, then go to the camps. From this island they will travel again to Athens, Thessaloniki and Kavala, the three major cities. (See also: Greece, the economic crisis to the immigration crisis)

The final destination for its passage in Greece is Idomeni, a small town near the border with Macedonia. However, refugees have been prevented transit through the Balkans, a must for those who wish to come to Germany and spend the northern region of the continent (Sweden, Norway and Denmark, mainly).