Greece sends first migrants back to Turkey under new EU deal

April 04, 2016 20:03

The first migrants to be deported from Greece as part of a controversial new EU plan to tackle the migration crisis have landed on Turkish soil.

Three boats carrying 202 people departed in the early hours of the morning from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios.

Migrants on board the first ferry were escorted ashore by Turkish police in the port town of Dikili on Monday morning, as authorities set up a tarp to prevent gathered media from seeing on board. A second boat docked shortly afterward.

Greek authorities said there were 136 migrants on board the two boats from Lesbos -- the majority of them from Pakistan, with others from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, as well as two Syrians who had returned voluntarily.

The 66 migrants on board the boat from Chios included 42 Afghans, authorities said.

According to Greek officials, the migrants had not applied for asylum. A Turkish official said Turkey has agreed to accept up to 500 migrants per day.

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