Kos inhabitants prevent 75 migrants from disembarking

People on the island of Kos, led by the mayor, prevented the disembarkation of some 75 migrants from a scheduled passenger ship early Saturday, according to Greek media reports. 

The port landing was blocked with municipal vehicles.

In the end, only two of the 77 migrants that the ship reportedly carried were allowed to disembark when the ferry arrived at 1 a.m. Both had been in Kos before.

The ship, which had picked up the migrants at Kastellorizo, continued on its way to Piraeus.

Mayor Theodossis Nikitaras said no more migrants will be allowed to be transferred from other islands to Kos, which already hosts 4,500 and demanded that the state take away some migrants from the island's overcrowded hotspot. Asylum seekers should be quickly processed and transferred to the mainland, he said.