406 refugee children from burned out migrant camp arrive in Thessaloniki

Four hundred and six unaccompanied refugee children from the Moria reception and identification centre in Lesvos were flown to Thessaloniki on three flights, after the camp was destroyed in a large blaze, the Migration Ministry said on Thursday.

Their transportation started late on Wednesday and was completed early on Thursday with a flight that took the last 85 unaccompanied refugee children off the island.

All the children were tested for coronavirus before their departure from Lesvos and, for precautionary reasons, they will be quarantined for 10 days in their new accommodation.

The flights were organized by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), whose staff accompanied the children, and financed by the European Commission.

After the fire broke out on Tuesday night, the children were taken away from the camp and transferred to safe areas where they received medical care and food.

The children will temporarily stay in facilities in northern Greece while authorities continue to work on their relocation to EU countries as well as their placement in long-term hospitality facilities on the mainland.