ATHENS – A total of 604 migrants and refugees from the islands of Samos, Chios and Lesvos will be transferred on Friday to closed facilities on the Greek mainland. The transfer concerns migrants and refugees that illegally entered in Greece after March 1, 2020, following the Greek government’s decision that anyone illegally entering the country after that date will not be permitted to apply for asylum.

The chartered ferry “Aqua Blue” has already collected 131 persons from Samos and is currently sailing for Chios, where it will collect another 284. The ferry will afterwards dock at Mytilene to take on a further 189 people.

It is noted that another 436 migrants have already been transferred to mainland Greece in a Greek Navy vessel.

Based on the government’s decision, all the above migrants and refugees will be sent back to their countries of origin.