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Greek border fence on the Evros river
Photo: Byron Smith/Getty Images
Almost 40 migrants have been stuck on a small island in the middle of the Greek-Turkish border river Evros (Turkish: Meric) for days.
They urgently need to be brought to safety, demanded Greek members of parliament and human rights organizations on Sunday.
However, the Greek police said the islet is on the Turkish side of the border.
"The services of the (Greek) armed forces indicate that this is a point outside Greek sovereignty," said the Greek police on Sunday evening.
The Turkish authorities have already been informed twice, but have not yet reacted.
Child reportedly died of scorpion sting
According to information from Greek media, which has not been officially confirmed, a child has died in the past few days from a scorpion sting on the small island.
Another 39 people have been staying there for almost a week, the news portal Efsyn.gr reported on Sunday.
The people came from Syria and feared that the Turkish authorities could send them back to their homeland if Greece and thus the EU did not take them in, the report said.
According to the UN refugee agency, since the beginning of the year and up to August 7, 3,225 people have fled from Turkey to Greece by land.
ktz/dpa