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On a tiny Greek island, 14 migrants and body of man found after their dinghy sank

Migrants in a dinghy on the Aegean Sea
Migrants in a dinghy head toward the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey in February 2020.
(Michael Varaklas / Associated Press)
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Greece’s coast guard found a group of 14 migrants and the body of a man on the shore of a tiny island in the eastern Aegean Sea on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The five men, six women and three children were found on the remote island of Farmakonisi, along with the body of one man. It was not immediately clear how he died.

The group had apparently arrived on the island from the Turkish coast in a dinghy that sank, the coast guard said. There were no reports of anyone missing. The migrants and the deceased man were taken to the nearby island of Leros, the coast guard added.

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There has been a rise in sea crossings to European Union member Greece by people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia and seeking a better life in the wealthy 27-country bloc.

Despite the increase in migration to Greece, Italy is still the main entry point for the EU for migrants, with about 114,200 arrivals so far this year. Spain follows with more than 21,000 arrivals, according to United Nations figures, while the figure for Greece is nearly 18,600.

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