Greek Police rescues new group of migrants from border islet

A group of 17 stranded migrants, including eight children, have been rescued from a tiny islet in river that runs along Greece's norastern land border with Turkey, police said Wednesday.

A police statement said migrants were left on islet in Evros River by a smuggler who h ferried m across from Turkish side in a boat. All 17 were in good health, statement said. y identified mselves as Syrians, police said.

Wednesday's rescue came a week after a similar incident involving 39 migrants found stranded on an Evros islet. In both cases, police said migrants phoned humanitarian groups for assistance, who in turn notified Greek authorities and members of European Union’s Frontex border agency stationed in area.

Evros is a major crossing point for thousands of people from Middle East, Asia and Africa seeking a better life in Europe, who mostly pay smugglers to ferry m to Greece. Greek authorities are planning to extend a fence designed to stop illegal crossings that currently covers part of Evros border.

Humanitarian groups have accused Greece of sending migrants caught crossing Evros illegally back to Turkey without allowing m to claim asylum, in breach of international law. Greece denies that.