Advertisement

  1. National

Greece restarts migrant returns under EU-Turkey deal

Forty-five migrants were taken by ferry from Lesbos to Turkey as Greek authorities restarted returns under an EU deal to stem the flow of migrants and refugees to Europe.

The ferry left the port of Mytilene on Friday morning, with a second boat expected to leave later, state television reported.

The first group of 202 migrants to be returned, most of them from Pakistan and Afghanistan, were taken back to Turkey on Monday.

View all 26 updates ›

UK will offer Greece more support to help deport migrants

The prime minister Credit: PA

The Prime Minister has offered to provide more help to Greece as it struggles to return migrants to Turkey.

The EU-Turkey agreement to tackle the migrant crisis took effect on Monday but Greek authorities have warned the operation is threatened by a shortage of personnel.

A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Cameron spoke to Mr Tsipras on the phone on Tuesday afternoon.

The Prime Minister welcomed the start the Greek authorities had made to returning migrants to Turkey under the agreement, and reiterated the importance of breaking the link between people making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean and securing settlement in Europe... The Prime Minister confirmed that additional UK personnel would be offered to Greece over the coming weeks to provide additional support.

– A Downing Street spokesman

More top news