Greek Minister for Migration Notis Mitarachi Monday announced that the Syrian refugees trapped on an islet in the Evros river between Greece and Turkey have been located and a boat was provided to transport them.

The refugees’ plight has attracted international attention after Turkey abandoned them there on August 8 after being transported back and forth between the two countries. Neither Turkey nor Greece made attempts to rescue the refugees between August 8 and August 15. Hours before the rescue, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) called for their immediate evacuation.

Several media outlets and the IRC reported that were nine children and one pregnant woman among those stranded. The IRC recounted that a nine-year-old child is in critical condition and her five-year-old sister died from a scorpion sting on the islet. According to minister Mitarachi, the pregnant woman has been transported to a Greek hospital.

On August 9 the European Court of Human Rights ordered Greece to provide the refugees with supplies and to keep them on Greek territory. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees also expressed their grave concern for the safety and wellbeing of some 40 people allegedly stranded