Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations –27 October 2022

Case name: 2022_10_27_Eastern Med_1045

Situation: 8 people in distress in the Evros region

Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded

Place of Incident: Eastern Med – Evros Region

Summary of the Case: On the 27th of October, the Alarm Phone received an alert from relatives about 8 people near the Evros land border in Northern Greece. We made contact with the group, who told us that they are 2 elderly women, 2 children, and 4 elderly men – one of whom has a broken hand. They told us they have been there for 5 days, that they do not have any food or water, that they are very tired and sick, and that they will soon run out of battery on their phone. We immediately alerted the authorities by email, asking for urgent assistance and informing them the group wishes to apply for asylum in Greece. Shortly after, we called the local police station Karystos, and also the nearby police station in Marmaris, but received no answers. We also called JRCC Piraeus and the Operation Centre, who finally confirmed that they have received our email but refused to provide any further information. Early the next morning, we are told by police authorities that they had been found and taken to the police station in Karystos. We are unable to make any further contact with the group directly.