A tragic scene continues to unfold on the shores of Greece. Several smuggling boats carrying migrants have met with disaster as they made their way across a wind-rocked Aegean Sea, according to Yahoo. The death toll climbed to 19 in three separate incidents on the Aegean over the last two days, as tensions rise throughout the region and the Greek Coast Guard carries out the grim task of recovering bodies from the angry waters.
The Associated Press has reported that the bodies of four men have most recently been recovered north of the island of Farmakonisi; another four men were rescued in a separate incident. Earlier in the day, the bodies of two men, one woman, and a boy washed up on the shores of Lesbos.
Earlier still, reports The Guardian, 11 bodies from an overturned boat were recovered off the island of Samos. Ten of these bodies had been trapped inside the cabin of the vessel. Four babies, two children, and four women were among the recovered in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
Dozens have recently attempted to flee Turkey, despite warnings of dangerous weather. The numbers of ships crossing the Mediterranean has dwindled, yet a significant number still appear to be braving the waters. Over the past week, more than 60 people have drowned while trying to reach Greek shores and many more have needed to be saved by beleaguered rescue workers and Greece's Coast Guard.
Although it is battling a significant financial dilemma of its own, Greece announced it would temporarily house a number of refugees and migrants. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has expressed outrage at Europe's failure to address this crisis, according to the AP. He likened wire fences erected at the borders of Hungary, Slovenia, and Austria to The Berlin Wall.
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