A tiny Greek island is sharing the story of how a newborn baby was rescued after he and his family were abandoned on the shore by human traffickers. The baby and his parents are refugees who are trying to find a better life for themselves, and they found themselves left with no supplies or any way to safely care for their infant. The parents were forced to use sea water to help keep their baby alive.
The mayor of the small town has spoken out about the boy and his rescue, and how the small island town is trying to help keep families like this one safe.
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The newborn was one of many stranded.
Human traffickers abandoned a group of refugees on the Greek island of Tilos, which is in the Aegean Sea. Many of those who were abandoned were pregnant women and babies. The 50-day-old newborn was one of dozens, along with his parents, who were left on the rocky beach without food or water. As their resources began to run low, the parents were forced to use sea water to make the newborn's milk.
After three days, authorities showed up and rescued the baby. Some of the other people stranded were taken away by helicopter.
The mayor of Tilos spoke about the rescue.
Maria Kamma, the mayor of Tilos, shared footage on Facebook of the rescue, including photos of locals in inflatable rafts wading out into the water to get to the newborn.
"Once again the community of Tilos rises to the occasion, putting their 'back' on the great pressure on refugees. He has not lost any human life and is trying to confront and help the suffering, injured and beaten people in the best way possible," the post, which is translated from Greek, began.
"Yes beaten, because smugglers in order to load them onto boats, beat them up… Pregnant woman trapped in the mountain, infants and children thrown in steep areas of the island, women injured, men beaten badly by Turkish traffickers, make up the scene of despair that my island's society has been experiencing in recent months… and outside help? minimal…"
The mayor praised her citizens for stepping in and helping.
"The few port guards serving on the island have long past their endurance and yet they are not backing down, they are not accepting any human life to be lost! Two or three policemen who have also been thrown into the 'game' with time to catch people alive. Commander and army I contributed to a great extent day and night… Let's put a fist together! Well done, guys! A big thank you to both our volunteers and the people of my Municipality," she continued.
"Blessed place with Men and servants who refuse to lose their humanity. This is how human societies should be and yet we are impressed when we encounter such… because nowadays the obvious… they are rare."
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The baby is alive and safe.
Kamma shared an update on the baby, who is named Ionas. The baby was reported as safe and healthy.
"Calm, safe, dry, clean, properly fed, watching everyone and everything around him… Good luck, our little one, and may life from now on not be so cruel and unfair to you… Bon voyage, our little Ionas, and we wish that tomorrow is not your last day on our island…" Kamma wrote, sharing pictures and video of the infant.
