Greece fires: Horror as 18 charred bodies found in a forest after they were ‘burned alive’ in raging wildfires
EIGHTEEN charred bodies have been found in a forest in Greece as the country continues to be ravaged by wildfires.
The bodies, believed to be migrants, were discovered in a rural area in Avanta, near the port city of Alexandroupoli.
A spokesperson for the Greek Fire Service, Ioannis Artopios said police have activated the country’s Disaster Victim Identification Team to identify the bodies, which were found near a shack in northeastern Greece.
He said: “Given that there have been no reports of disappearances or missing residents from the surrounding areas, the possibility that these are people who entered the country illegally is being investigated.
The broader Evros region is a popular route for migrants crossing the river by the same name from Turkey into Greece.
“Searches throughout the entire area where the fire broke out are ongoing,” the fire brigade added.
The wildfire broke out in the Dadia National Park on Monday as strong winds rekindled flames in the area.
Hundreds of firefighters in the northeastern region have been battling flames for the past four days after the blaze that broke out near Alexandroupoli on Saturday spread quickly.
Dozens of villages have been evacuated and acres of land destroyed while the inferno has left one person dead.
Distressing photos show hospital patients including newborn babies being evacuated onto a ferry.
Officials said the 65 patients at the University Hospital of Alexandroupoli were evacuated as a precaution.
Meanwhile, another two blazes have broken out near Athens.
A wildfire broke out today on Mount Parnitha, on the outskirts of the capital, dangerously close to people’s homes as fire crews had to evacuate nuns from a nearby monastery.
And another inferno was sparked in the industrial town of Aspropyrgos where over 120 firefighters and nine aircraft were working to contain the flames.
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