Q. (16), from Afghanistan52 / Bari – Patras
J., from Eritrea53 / Bari – Igoumenitsa
Q. was readmitted twice from Italy to Greece - the
first time from Bari and the second from Venice.
When we asked him what he was thinking after being
deported twice from Italy, he replied “The third time
I will stay!”
“On April 2011, I was in Igoumenitsa. I hid myself
under a truck, which embarked on the ship to
Bari. The driver found me during the journey and
handed me over to the responsible person of the
ship. I was detained in the ship’s prison. When the
ship arrived in Bari, I was not taken out of the ship.
I did not meet someone from the Italian police. I
was just returned back to Igoumenitsa. During the
return trip, they did not give me any food or water.
I had just a slice of dry bread. I was not allowed to
go to the toilet and I had to pee in a plastic bottle.”
“Six months ago I managed to reach Italy for the
first time. I was on the small Superfast for Bari. We
were five persons hiding in a truck, transporting
grapes. When the ship arrived at the port the truck
disembarked and parked somewhere. Two hours
had passed and we thought we had made it. We
waited for the truck to start and then exit the port.
Suddenly, we heard voices coming from behind the
truck. The vehicles’ doors were opened and closed
again. The truck then started driving in circles and
then stopped. We later saw that we were in a
building, with doors on both sides: the front and
the back. I now know this was a scanner. Then
the truck doors opened again. We saw around ten
persons in plainclothes, holding cameras. Some
workers slowly unloaded the fruit boxes, until
they almost reached us. Among them, there were
some people from the ship, the Italian police and
the others with the cameras. I could watch them
through a small hole in between the fruit boxes.
They were taking photos of us. I could not feel my
body anymore. I could not feel my legs. We had not
eaten anything for hours. They took us out one by
one and then surrounded us. We were told to sit
down. They asked for our papers. We had hidden
them. We were three adults and two minors. The
Bulgarian truck driver locked the truck’s door and
left. The officers searched our clothing. The three
adults handed over their papers, we, the minors
didn’t. A police van took the adults away. Then a
fat guy wearing a white and red shirt appeared. He
asked why they only took the adults and not us.
The van returned and we entered. We were then
brought back to the small Superfast. Nobody asked
us any questions. We were taken to the floor above
the parking of the ship. On the left, as you embark.
There was a metal door. We were given a sandwich
and a juice. Then, we were deported back to Patras.
We had told the Italian police that we entered from
Patras. Upon arrival, we were transferred to the
old port where we stayed for five hours. Then they
let us go.”
52
Patras
22
Interview held on May 11, 2012 in Patras. See also Venice-
3.1.3. Brindisi
H.A., from Afghanistan54 / Brindisi – Patras
“Six months ago I managed to arrive in Brindisi.
The truck I was hiding disembarked but the guards
noticed me hiding in the truck and immediately
returned me to the Endeavour ship I had come
with. I told the Italian officers that I want to stay
in Italy and apply for asylum, but they didn’t listen
to me. They didn’t even take my fingerprints. I was
locked in a room on one of the upper floors.”
3.1.4. Venice
Q. (16), from Afghanistan55 / Venice - Patras
“The second time I was sent back to Greece from
Italy, I had arrived at the port of Venice with ANEK
Lines. This happened a month ago. We were two
persons inside a truck full of oranges. The ship
arrived and the truck disembarked. A machine
came to unload the oranges and they found us. The
driver saw us first. He noticed us when he climbed
53
Patras
54
55
Patras
Interview held on May 13, 2012 in Patras. See also Venice Interview held on May 12, 2012 in Patras
Interview held on May 11, 2012 in Patras. See also Bari-
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