According to the UNHCR, 800,000 refugees and migrants arrived
in Greece by sea in 2015. They are mainly Syrians, Afghans andIraqis fleeing civil war, oppression of the Islamic State, in search of
better life opportunities in Europe.
In 2015 on the island of Lesbos about 450,000 people arrived,
including men, women and children. They risk their lives, payingthousands of Euros to smugglers to cross the sea on overcrowded
boats, landing on the shores of the Greek islands.
Despite the advent of winter in Europe, thousands of refugees and
migrants continue to arrive on the coast of the island of Lesbos.The intensification of control in the Aegean Sea by the Turkish and
Greek coast guard, pushes traffickers to start the overflowing
dinghies at night, to avoid being intercepted. According to UNHCR
in February 2016, there were about 30,000 arrivals on the island
of Lesbos, which is the beginning of a long journey through Greece and the Balkans to Germany or Sweden, where the majority of refugees and migrants intends to seek asylum.
