According to the UNHCR, 800,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Greece by sea in 2015. They are mainly Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis fleeing civil war, oppression of the Islamic State, in search of better life opportunities in Europe. In 2015 on the island of Lesbos about 450,000 people arrived, including men, women and children. They risk their lives, paying thousands of Euros to smugglers to cross the sea on overcrowded boats, landing on the shores of the Greek islands. Despite the advent of winter in Europe, thousands of refugees and migrants continue to arrive on the coast of the island of Lesbos. The intensification of control in the Aegean Sea by the Turkish and Greek coast guard, pushes traffickers to start the overflowing dinghies at night, to avoid being intercepted. According to UNHCR in February 2016, there were about 30,000 arrivals on the island of Lesbos, which is the beginning of a long journey through Greece and the Balkans to Germany or Sweden, where the majority of refugees and migrants intends to seek asylum.
