The small Greek island of Lesbos has been the site of many dramatic rescues since the refugees crisis escalated earlier this year.

But this image of abandoned life jackets tells the story more eloquently than many hundreds of headlines.There have been more than 2,600 drowned in the Mediterranean this year trying to reach Greece or Italy in dinghies or fishing boats.The previously quiet island of Lesbos has become a centre for the crisis as many hundreds of refugees arrive there as their first European port.

At times, riot police have struggled to keep order as the refugees , many fleeing war-torn Syria, desperately try to get to safety.Organisations like Human Rights Watch have been warning governments about the situation, which has reportedly seen at least 350,000 migrants crossing the EU's borders in January-August 2015.

Most of those heading for Greece take the relatively short voyage from Turkey to Kos, Chios, Lesvos and Samos, small islands which have struggled to cope with the thousands of people arriving.

Source: The Mirror U.K

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