Coast guard rescues 120 migrants off Turkish coast

Coast guard rescues 120 migrants off Turkish coast

Turkey's coast guard rescued around 120 migrants trying to reach a Greek island on three dinghies early on Friday after they said their passage was blocked by Greek coast guard vessels.

Adam Reed reports.

Thousands of migrants fleeing Syria continue to be left stranded with no where to go at the Greek border with Turkey and are still being stopped from going any further.

Greek government sources said on Friday (March 6) close to 3,000 crossing attempts were thwarted in just one night as its police and army continued patrols.

Dodging canisters of tear gas has become a daily occurrence for those camped out on the Turkish side of the border, as they wait for information.

There has been a standoff on the border for a week now, since Ankara said it would no longer hold back migrants stuck in the country - going against a deal struck with the European Union in 2016.

Some have taken the risk of making the crossing by sea, with 120 migrants picked up by the Turkish coast guard early on Friday after their passage was blocked by Greece.

Thousand of migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Africa are camped out along a stretch of the border between Turkey and Greece, two NATO allies whose relations - never easy - have been further strained by the migrant crisis.

Now, many migrants are confused and unsure what to do.

Some are staying put, but others have begun heading back across Turkey to whatever lives they thought they left behind.

Many are laying the blame with Turkey's President Erdogan saying his misinformation led them to a place he knew they'd be stuck, leaving one Syrian mother saying that they have been "left to the dogs." Turkey however disputes this, stating that it has not asked any Syrian refugees to leave.