In Pictures

Saving lives in the Aegean Sea

Rescue missions occur daily in the waters off Lesbos, as dozens of refugee boats set out on the “death route” to Europe.

An inflatable boat full of refugees sails off the Greek island of Lesbos after leaving Turkish waters. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

10 Nov 2015

It is about 5:30am on Saturday in the port of Mytilene in the Greek island of Lesbos. The weather is foggy and the darkness is deep.

The crew of the coastguard patrol boat, Agios Efstratios, are preparing for yet another mission in the Aegean Sea, where inflatable boats overloaded with refugees have already set out on what has become known as the “death route”.

With the engines fired up, attention turns to the bright spots on the radar screen that indicate the location of the refugee boats. The crew’s only mission is to save as many lives as they can.

Captain Argyris Frangoulis sets course, then says: “I see the dot on the radar and feel dread. Each time I am afraid about what I am going to see. The situation is very nasty.

“We have seen everything, from newborn babies, to disabled men and dead bodies. The image of the dead children we saw will never be forgotten.

“There are times when I cannot eat, I cannot sleep, I can’t drink even my coffee. These pictures come to my mind all the time”.

As the minutes tick away, dozens of inflatable boats cross into Greek waters, heading towards the northern coast of Lesbos. At around 7:30am, the radar shows that one of them has stopped. The outboard engine has cut out and the vessel is starting to fill with water. The 55 people on board begin screaming for help.

The Greek crew spring into action as Frangoulis steers towards the refugees’ stricken boat.

When the Agios Efstratios is close enough, the first rope ladder is dropped and the first refugees are helped aboard. Women and children are the priority. Lying in the boat are an elderly woman who is unable to walk and an unconscious man.

After an hour, all the refugees have safely been brought aboard.

Most are wet and cold but are glad to be safe. Three hours later the refugees are transferred to the closest Greek village where locals and volunteers come to their aid as they prepare to be transferred to a transition camp. They have to register with the police before they are given the coveted ticket to Athens.

As the sun sets, the crew of the Agios Efstratios will have only a few hours of rest before they set sail again.

The crew of the Agios Efstratios search the sea for any vessel in trouble. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

A map of the sea around the port of Mytilene is at hand on the patrol boat's bridge. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

Captain Argyris Frangoulis says there are times he cannot sleep when he thinks of the lives that have been lost at sea during the recent refugee crisis. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

The crew's sole mission is to save lives. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

Captain Frangoulis keeps a close eye on the radar screen and scours the sea for signs of a vessel in need of help. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

The Agios Efstratios pulls up alongside a stricken boat full of refugees lying idle in the water after its engine cut out. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

The coastguard crew drops a rope ladder to the refugees so they can climb aboard. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

The refugees prepare to leave their inflatable boat that has started to take on water. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

A crew member checks the pulse of an unconscious man lying in the bottom of the boat. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

An Afghan man, whose legs are so cold and numb he can no longer walk, is helped aboard by crew members. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

Women and children are given priority during the rescue. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

An elderly woman barely able to walk is helped onto the deck of the patrol boat. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

The rescued refugees from Syria and Afghanistan sit on the deck as they are taken to the island of Lesbos where they will be registered. [Anna Pantelia/Al Jazeera]

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