A boat carrying approximately 40 people that was trying to cross towards Lesvos south from Turkey was brutally pushed back by the Greek coast guard 11.00 this morning.
The Hellenic coast guard vessel Nr 618, who is stationed on Lesvos, stopped the boat inside Greek wathers, destroyed the engine and left the people drifting for hours at sea before being picked up by Turkish coast guard.
A man was injured in his head when the crew members on the HCG vessel used long sticks, hitting repeatedly down towards the rubber boat, trying to damage the engine. Also a white powder was sprayed from the HCG vessel over the passengers in the rubber boat. What this white powder was is unknown, but people said that their eyes burned and some had difficulties breathing properly because their lungs was burning.
In several videos that ABR received, we can also see a vessel from the Turkish coast guard in the background. What their role in this crossing was is not revealed from the videos, but they have in many previous cases been “helping” bosts towards the Greek border. This power game between Turkey and Greece, on the backs of innocent people, must come to an end.