ATHENS, Greece – The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local):
9:50 a.m.
The first vessel transporting migrants from Greece has docked in Turkey, putting into practice a European Union plan to stem migration to Europe.
At dawn on the Greek island of Lesbos, an initial group of migrants were escorted onto two small ferries by officers from the EU border protection agency, Frontex.
The first vessel, the Nazli Jale, reached the port of Dikili accompanied by the Turkish coast guard.
Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency put the number of migrants at 131 and said they were mostly Pakistani nationals. A Turkish government official told the AP authorities were expecting 202 people. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.
A total of 50,000 migrants and refugees are stranded in Greece following EU and Balkan border closures, but only those who arrived after March 20 will be detained for deportation.
— by Dominique Soguel
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Police on the Greek island of Lesbos have begun placing migrants and refugees on boats bound to Turkey, the first to be deported under a European Union plan to limit the amount of migration to Europe.
Under heavy security, the first 135 migrants were being escorted onto the boats as dawn broke Monday by officers from the EU border protection agency, Frontex, to nearby ports on the Turkish coast, under the plan which has been strongly criticized by human rights groups.
About 4,000 migrants and refugees have been detained on Greek islands since the agreement came into effect March 20.
On the nearby island of Chios, riot police clashed with local residents hours earlier during a protest against deportations planned there.
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