38 Turkey-Greece migrants trapped on unknown island

• A group of 38 migrants were discovered stranded on a tiny, unidentified island near Turkey’s border with Greece.
• 22 men, nine women, and seven children claim to have been on the islet of the Evros River since July.
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• They were transferred to mainland Greece after being found on Monday.

A group of 38 migrants, including a heavily pregnant woman, were discovered stranded on a tiny, unidentified island near Turkey’s border with Greece.

The 22 men, nine women, and seven children claim to have been on the islet of the Evros River since mid-July.

They were transferred to mainland Greece after being found on Monday.

The group was in “quite excellent shape,” according to the country’s migration minister, and the pregnant woman was transported to the hospital as a precaution.

According to the group and human rights organisations, at least one youngster died on the islet near the Greek town of Lavara. Police in Greece have yet to corroborate this.

There had been some doubt over the group’s location, and hence whether Turkey or Greece should have intervened.

Greek officials first claimed the passengers, who police say are all Syrians, were on Turkish territory.

They have eventually discovered roughly 4km (2.4 miles) south of the coordinates indicated a few days ago outside Greek territory. This is why, according to Greek authorities, the migrants were not discovered earlier.

One of the women in the group, Baida, described the treatment as “a football game between two sides” – Turkey and Greece.

“No-one wants us. No-one hears us. No-one wants to help,” she added.