“Once again, the community of Tilos has risen to the occasion, bearing the immense pressure that comes with the refugee crisis,” Kamma wrote, alongside photos documenting the rescue. “We have not lost a single human life, and we continue to strive to support these suffering, injured, and battered individuals in the best possible way.”
The infant, along with a group of refugees, was rescued through the coordinated efforts of local volunteers and authorities, supported by the broader community. One volunteer, in a symbolic gesture, named the child “Jonah,” likening him to the monk who, according to legend, washed ashore in Tilos and founded the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon.
In her post, Mayor Kamma described the dire conditions faced by the refugees: “A pregnant woman trapped on the mountain, babies and children abandoned in rugged parts of the island, women injured, men brutally beaten by Turkish traffickers—this is the despair that the people of Tilos have been confronting for months.” She also highlighted the overwhelming strain on local resources, noting that the island’s small contingent of port workers and police officers have far exceeded their limits, yet refuse to back down or accept the loss of any lives.
“All together, we form a fist!” Kamma exclaimed, praising the collective efforts of the island’s residents, volunteers, and authorities. “This is how human societies should be, and yet we are impressed when we encounter such solidarity… because in today’s world, what should be self-evident has become rare.”
This story of resilience and humanity was further underscored by a video published by “Kathimerini,” showing the tense and agonising rescue of a pregnant refugee woman trapped on a mountain in Tilos.
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