Dozens drown off Greek islands in deadliest January for refugees

Refugees and migrants, many from Syria, still making journey from Turkey despite winter weather

Refugees arrive at the Greek island of Lesbos on Friday

Mark Tran and agencies-Friday 22 January 2016

At least 45 people, including 17 children, have died after their boats sank near two Greek islands as the number of deaths of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean make this the deadliest January on record.

The deaths occurred off two small islands in the eastern Aegean. The highest death toll came when a wooden sailboat sank off Kalolymnos. The coastguard recovered 34 bodies and rescued 26 people. The number of those missing is not known, although between 70 and 100 people were thought to be on board.

At the same time, a wooden boat carrying 49 people sank after crashing into a rocky area off Farmakonisi, to the north of Kalolymnos. Forty people scrambled to shore, one girl was rescued, but six children and two women died.

Later, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said the Turkish coast guard had rescued six survivors from the area of the two accidents and found another three bodies.

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