Greek Coast Guard rescues 5 migrants in Aegean Sea

ATHENS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Greek Coast Guard vessels rescued five migrants from a dinghy off the south coast of Samos island in the Aegean Sea, local authorities reported on Wednesday.

The new rescue came as flows from Turkey into Greece continue on a daily basis despite the sharp decline compared to the start of the crisis four years ago.

A total of 32,115 persons landed on Greek islands crossing the Aegean from Turkish coasts, up from 29,130 in 2017, according to an e-mailed report by the Migration Policy ministry.

In addition, 15,814 migrants and refugees entered Greece in 2018 via the land border with Turkey in the north, up from 5,577 in 2017, the official statistics showed.

In 2015 and 2016, before the closure of the Balkan route to central Europe, more than a million people reached Greece to continue their journey to other European countries.

After the winter of 2016, the numbers of arrivals dropped significantly, but still many risk their lives seeking refuge in Europe from war-torn countries and extreme poverty.

According to the Greek ministry's report, at the end of 2018 about 11,680 people were stranded at hotspots on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos and Leros.

The conditions at the first reception centers have improved compared to the past as thousands of people were transferred to the mainland in recent months.

A total of 66,970 applications for asylum were submitted during 2018, up from 58,642 in 2017, according to the report.

Furthermore, 10,746 refugees and migrants left Greece last year, including 4,968 who returned to their home countries under the International Organization of Migration (IOM) voluntary return program and 5,456 who were reunited with relatives across the EU under the relocation program. Further 322 returned to Turkey under the provisions of the 2016 EU-Turkey statement.

With the support of IOM as well as UNHCR, most refugees and migrants have moved from camps to apartments and hotels, while 12,500 children attend classes at Greek public schools or inside reception centers.