fame at last!

[NornaBiron]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29391116

This might be more appropriate for the lounge but, as we're liveaboards I've put it here!

In this instance the situation was straightforward as we were anchored in a bay and able to take the refugees to the beach, but I have asked our insurers what their stance is on the situation if we're at sea and find ourselves in the same position as the Salamis Filoxena.

 

[Carmel2]

Good on ya! Which bit of Symi were you in?

 

[NornaBiron]

Good on ya! Which bit of Symi were you in?

We were anchored in Agios Yiorgos, Thessalona, the bay just south of Pethi with no road access and huge cliffs on three sides.

 

[macd]

Well done, Norna, and ya-boo to anyone who might have thought twice before helping. If I'm ever up to my neck in crocodiles, it's the likes of you I'd hope were passing by.

 

[vyv_cox]

Yes, well done from us too. I hope the refugees were grateful, although I suppose there's a good chance they will be taken back?

 

[jordanbasset]

Well done, hope all works out for them

 

[Tony Cross]

Well done guys! That never happens in Spinalonga lagoon now does it?

 

[Wandering Star]

Yes, well done from me too, I'd read the report before I read your post, good on you!

 

[RichardS]

Well done from me as well.

I don't know the answer to the Assad / IS problems in Iraq / Syria is but ordinary people should not have to pay with their lives. There is already too much of that happening.

Richard

 

[ribrage]

Good for you , I suspect we will all be seeing more of this in coming months .

 

[NornaBiron]

Thanks everyone. I'll update when our insurers get back to us.

 

[grumpygit]

Bravo you two, speak soon.

 

[OldBawley]

Well done. Any idea what happens if you take them on board ? I know of one case where the Turkish coastguard confiscated a yacht carrying refugees. The owner claimed to have found the Kurds in the sea but even we had our doubts.

Other story;

We ware anchored in Pethi, Symi ( 2008 ) Early in the morning we saw a large group of people coming down the barren North mountain slope. Since we had never seen people there they had to be dropped refugees. They ware in bad condition, when reaching the quayside some of them could barely walk. Covered in some red dust, many of them crying.
My Belgian son and his girlfriend ware visiting us, and since our boat has no visitors bunks they camped at night on the small beach in the NW corner of Pethi bay, near the little boatyard. Son had just waken up and was taking a shower with the taverna water hose. Some of the refugees ware dropping on their knees for him, begging for some water.
The old owner of the boatyard who had been watching the scene came up to my son and asked “ Kurdistan ? “ looking at the refugees who started moving direction town. My son who was not fully awake and apparently shaken answered “ No No, Belgian “
Since, the rumour circulates on Simi island that even Belgian refugees are been brought to the island.

 

[NornaBiron]

Well done. Any idea what happens if you take them on board ? I know of one case where the Turkish coastguard confiscated a yacht carrying refugees. The owner claimed to have found the Kurds in the sea but even we had our doubts.

.

I'm still waiting for our insurers to get back to us. Obviously if you find people in the water you have to pick them up but putting a radio call out first would be prudent.

 

[charles_reed]

Well done - more teeming masses for Europe.

 

[AndrewB]

Yes, very well done.

A big contrast between this and the last first-person refugee account I recall being posted here, when yachts Tallulah and If Only were threatened (and If Only boarded) by refugees aboard a boat they encountered on passage to the Cape Verde Islands.

Desperate refugees in trouble at sea in small boats present a major dilemma to us yachties - I've never been sure what I would do in this situation.

 

[vyv_cox]

You seem to have set something off! Four warships have passed through the strait between Leros and Kalymnos this morning, in both directions.

 

[NornaBiron]

You seem to have set something off! Four warships have passed through the strait between Leros and Kalymnos this morning, in both directions.

We're now anchored off Siskli (south of Symi). Two ribs came in the bay this morning whilst the warship went round the outside. I think there have been quite a few drops over the last week, every time we've been into Symi town there have been a different group of refugees around the clock tower and on the police station balcony.

 

[demonboy]

What a great story and good on you for helping out. This kind of selflessness among liveaboards is heart-warming. I was particularly impressed with this bit:

Andy went out in the dinghy and collected several rucksacks wrapped in bin bags. He later went out snorkelling and found one of the men's bumbags containing money, passport, toiletries, medication, etc

I hope the refugees were able to move on and weren't sent back.

 

[NornaBiron]

I hope the refugees were able to move on and weren't sent back.

We've seen a few (not the ones we helped) around the town. They're being issued with photo ID and seem to be able to wander freely, not sure where they're staying or what the next stage is for them.