Darwin woman tells of misery of European refugee crisis

Helen Zahos has left for the Greek island of Lesbos to provide medical and humanitarian aid with Doctors of the World to the thousands of refugees fleeing Syria for Europe.

A Darwin woman who flew to Greece to assist with the worst global refugee crisis since World War II has told of confronting scenes as Syrian migrants battle for survival.

Helen Zahos left for the Greek island of Lesbos late last month to provide medical and humanitarian aid with Doctors of the World to the thousands of refugees fleeing Syria for Europe.

Ms Zahos last year volunteered with the same organisation in Thessaloniki as the sharp edge of Greece’s economic crisis hit its population, but has also worked on Christmas Island with refugees.

But she says despite her previous work, she was not fully prepared for the confronting scenes of despair.

“As soon as I arrived there was no time to waste as there were reports of eight boats arriving at once,” she said.

“It was Sunday and the Turkish coast guard wasn’t working ... and then there were 3500 arrivals of refugees.

“By afternoon the influx overwhelmed authorities who stopped buses running and refugees were forced to walk the 65km into Mytillini from the other side of the island.

“I saw families huddled together, pregnant women, elderly. all in wet clothes. Once the sun set the cold weather set in. these people were huddled together settling into sleep out in the open. “No food, no water.”

Ms Zahos, who grew up in Groote Eylandt and has worked as a paramedic in the Northern Territory, said many of the refugees were suffering from chronic disease as many had lost their medication in the voyage to Greek shores.

“I have never seen anything like this. The desperation by both sides. The refugees already fleeing war and dangerous countries now exhausted, hungry and want to get registered to move on, the authorities are under the pressure but understaffed they are stretched to the limit with mass numbers of refugees and very small numbers of Police.”

Ms Zahos will remain on Lesbos for the next two months.