256 migrants arrived in Heraklion from Lesvos with the ferry “Nissos Samos”on Sunday morning as part of a plan to reduce congestion on the island’s ‘hot spots’, the asylum processing centres set up with the help of the EU. The plan aims to improve living conditions and safety by reducing the population of the hot spots on the eastern mediterranean islands by at least 5000.
The ferry was chartered by the UN and on arrival the passengers were met by UN staff and were taken to their destinations in Siteia and Chania with the majority being accommodated in Heraklion.
The migrants from Syria, Afghanistan and the Kurdish territories will be temporarily based in Crete while their applications to travel to central europe are being processed.
