Greek police has notified Turkey of 40 migrants trapped on islet in Evros River

A group of nearly 40 migrants trapped on an islet in Evros River is not on Greek territory, the Hellenic Police Directorate said on Thursday, adding that Turkish authorities have been notified for emergency help.

In a statement, the police headquarters said that the islet coordinates provided by several organizations proved the islet was outside of Greek territory. It forwarded them to Turkish authorities at the Trilateral Contact Center at Kapitan Andreevo, notifying them to evacuate the migrants, some of whome are in urgent need of medical attention.

The center was set up in May 2015 between Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria where three borders meet, to help in police and customs coordination and in collaboration during emergencies including natural disasters. (Authorities of each country are housed in the same center, consult their individual databases, and observe their national laws.)