Greek police rescue new group of migrants from border islet

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Greek police say 17 migrants have been rescued from a tiny islet in the river that runs along Greece’s northeastern land border with Turkey. Among the group were eight children. A police statement said the migrants were left on the islet in the Evros River by a smuggler who had ferried them across from the Turkish side in a boat. All 17 were in good health and identified themselves as Syrians, the statement 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 the migrants phoned humanitarian groups for assistance, who in turn notified Greek and European authorities.