On the shores of Tilos, traffickers abandoned dozens of refugees, including pregnant women and infants, with the residents of the remote island demonstrating their humanity and solidarity.
Photos and videos uploaded by internet users on Facebook show the rescue efforts of a just 50-day-old infant from the hidden side of the island, where it had been abandoned along with its parents.
For three days, the baby was trapped in the mountain of the island, with its parents forced to use seawater to prepare its milk.
The baby was ultimately given the name Jonas, likening him to the monk who was washed ashore in Tilos and built the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon.
The mayor of the island, Maria Kamma, narrated the story of the rescue of little Jonas on Facebook.
The Mayor’s Post
“TILOS 17/8/2024
Jonas, this is the ‘name’ given to him by our friend Thanasis Tsitsas, likening him to the monk who was washed ashore in Tilos and built the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon…
A refugee child of 50 days old who for three days was trapped in the mountain, with his parents making his milk with water from the sea…
Once again, the community of Tilos stands up to the occasion, supporting the immense pressure exerted by the refugee crisis. They have not lost a single human life and are trying to cope and assist in the best possible way the weary, injured, and battered individuals. Yes, battered, because the traffickers beat them to load them onto boats…
A pregnant woman trapped in the mountain, infants and children tossed in steep areas of the island, injured women, men severely beaten by Turkish traffickers, compose the despairing scene that my island’s community has been living these past months… and external aid? Very minimal…
The few coast guard officers serving on the island have long exceeded their limits of endurance, and yet they do not back down, unwilling to let any human life be lost! Two or three officers have also been thrown into the ‘game’ against time to keep people alive. The commander and the army assist significantly day and night… All together like a fist! Well done, guys! A big thank you to our volunteers and the people of my Municipality. Spyros, Mimis, Nikos, Maria, Vasilis, Michalis, Mercouri, and many more who refuse to give up, who say, no damn it, we will not lose anyone on our island!
A blessed place with People and servants who refuse to lose their humanity. That’s how human societies should be, and yet it surprises us when we encounter such… because in our days, the obvious… is rare.”