The German interior ministry announced on Wednesday that a total of 139 migrants had been flown in to Hanover aiport from Greece. The flight included 51 unaccompanied minors, residents of Moria before the fire, and 88 people comprising 17 children with medical needs and their immediate families.
The German interior ministry announced to waiting journalists that the flight from Greece containing 139 migrants on board landed in Hanover airport shortly after 11 am German time on Wednesday, September 30.
On board the flight were 51 unaccompanied minors and 17 more children with medical needs, accompanied by their immediate families. The pledge to transport these migrants to Germany, according to the German press agency dpa, was made "months ago by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government."
Now that the migrants have arrived in Germany, they will be expected to start their asylum process.
More migrants to arrive 'soon'
The flight represents part of a contingent of migrants being flown from Greece to Germany. In total, 243 children in need of treatment, as well as their families, will be offered a place in Germany. In all, according to dpa, the German government has “pledged to accept 1,533 additional relatives from Greek islands.” A total of about 150 unaccompanied migrants will also be accepted.
So far, wrote dpa, 609 migrants have been flown from Greece to Germany, "including 104 unaccompanied minors, and 142 sick children."
It was not yet clear when the rest of the migrants might arrive but a source at the interior ministry told dpa it would be "soon."
With dpa