Tens of thousands of people, many of them fleeing war and conflict in Syria and Afghanistan, have been making their way from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in inflatable dinghies, overwhelming cash-strapped authorities on the islands.
The vast majority then head to mainland Greece and from there, try to access more prosperous European Union countries by either walking across the Balkans from northern <g data-gr-id="14">Greece,</g> or sneaking onto Italy-bound ferries from the west.
The 1,417 migrants rescued between Friday morning and Monday morning were picked up at sea in 59 separate incidents off the coasts of the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Agathonisi and Kos, the coast guard said.
Those figures do not include the hundreds of others who manage to reach the islands’ coasts themselves, walking to the main towns to turn themselves <g data-gr-id="15">in to</g> local authorities and receive registration papers.
On the island of Kos alone, more than 150 migrants in at least six boats landed on the shore in the early hours of Monday morning.