Riots hit Greek migrant camps as more refugees die crossing Med

(Vatican Radio)  Dazed migrants and refugees gradually returned to their holding camp on the island of Samos on Friday after a night of mayhem in which migrant youths battled one another with knives and set fire to compound buildings. At least two dozen were reported injured and hospitalized.

Listen to John Carr's report:

The riot occurred 24 hours after a night of similar unrest in a camp on the island of Lesbos, which also suffered serious damage from fire. Greek officials blame mainly Pakistani, Afghan and Moroccan men whose asylum applications have been denied and feel they’re in a no-hope dead end.

There were fears here in Athens on Friday that the violence could spread to other holding camps around Greece, where 54,000 migrants are being kept, with little prospect of ever going anywhere, as Greece’s northern borders remain closed to them.

Meanwhile, Greek boats and helicopters have been searching the sea area south of Crete for several hundred migrants missing after their boat capsized.  The boat was believed to be coming from Libya and heading for Italy.  So far, the bodies of four people have been recovered.

Most survivors were to be transported to Italy, with others to be taken to Egypt, Malta, and Turkey.

And, as the Greek opposition never fails to point out, the government appears not to have the slightest idea about what to do to ease the migrants’ plight.