Author Archives: Tommy Olsen

Just after midnight, on Saturday April 5, Aegean Boat Report was contacted by a group of 24 people, 10 of them small children, and a cat, who a few hours earlier had arrived on the Greek island of Kastellorizo. The group reported being wet and could and stated “please we need help urgently, it’s darkContinue reading “Small Children Left Drifting At Sea By The Greek Coast Guard”

Since the start of 2024, 228 people have been arrested under suspicion of being ‘people smugglers’, a 53% increase compared to 2023, according to Hellenic Coast Guard official data. If the people arrested had in fact been real hardcore smugglers, criminals whose only goal was to make money on others misery, I guess most ofContinue reading “Sharp increases in arrests of what Greek authorities call “Migrant Smugglers”.”

The EU’s official ‘border agency’ Frontex has once again been proven to have taken part in illegal pushbacks in Greece. A newly released Serious Incident Report (SIR) by Frontex’ own Fundamental Rights Office, details a pushback performed in February by the Greek coast guard, assisted by Bulgarian Frontex, outside Lesvos. In previous cases where FrontexContinue reading “Frontex Found Guilty Again Of Pushbacks From Greece”

This summer, the Greek Coastguard has escalated its illegal and vicious violence against people travelling to seek safety, by opening fire on boats carrying men, women and children, including shooting one man dead. How much more has to happen, and for how long, before the EU pays attention, and takes action against this horrifying practice? Continue reading “Greece’s ‘Coastguard’ Firing On Civilians”

Frontex involvement in illegal pushbacks in Greece, are ones again proven, this time in a newly released serious Incident Report(SIR) by Frontex own Fundamental Rights Office, from a pushback performed by Greek coast guard outside Lesvos, assisted by Latvian Frontex. In the afternoon of 25 January, a boat carrying 38 people, all Afghans, had almostContinue reading “Frontex Covering Up Greek Pushbacks”

In the morning of Tuesday, August 20, a group of 22 people, 17 adults and 5 children, contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance, after they had arrived on the Greek island of Farmakonisi in the Dodecanese. The group was scared, and asked for assistance, so that they could be taken to the nearest port ofContinue reading “Pushbacks as Border Management, Financed by the European Commission”

Tuesday night, August 13, a sailboat reported to be carrying 87 people, 72 adults and 15 children, contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance after they ended up in distress 14 nautical miles south east of Syrna in the Dodecanese. The Smugler originally driving the boat, had left on a small speedboat, and headed back toContinue reading “87 People Kidnapped By Greek Coast Guard And Abandoned In Liferafts”

In the morning of August 8, a boat carrying 64 people, 13 of them children, was heading from the Turkish shore towards the Greek island of Rhodes. Deep inside Greek territory waters they were stopped by three men in a black and white RIB, all in black uniforms, carrying guns, their faces covered by masks.Continue reading “Greek Special Forces Involved In Pushback of 13 Children”

In the early hours of July 8, a group of 27 people arrived on the Greek island of Inousses, north east of Chios. The group contacted several organizations to try to get assistance, amongst them Alarmphone and Aegean Boat Report. First contact was at 05.30, they told us that everyone had managed to get safelyContinue reading “8 People Killed After Greek Pushback, Nobody Is Held Accountable”

On the night of Friday 28 June, Aegean Boat Report published an emergency alert regarding a group that had arrived on the uninhabited Greek island of Vatos, north east of Chios, and was in imminent danger of being pushed back by Greek authorities. We immediately published about this group to try to draw attention toContinue reading “Nine Children Forced Into A Life Raft By The Greek Coast Guard, And Abandoned At Sea”