Seven Hours in Open Water, Armed Only With Fins: A Father and Son From Gaza Complete an Almost Unthinkable Journey

An especially unusual journey unfolded in the Aegean Sea, when a 52-year-old father and his 23-year-old son, residents of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, completed a nonstop swim of about 8 kilometers from the coast of Turkey to the Greek island of Kos. According to reports from organizations that track migrant movement in the region, the two swam for about seven hours, much of that time in complete darkness, equipped only with fins and inflatable floaties.

According to the reports, the father and son were evacuated from the Gaza Strip to Egypt to receive medical treatment during the war. They later continued on to Turkey, where they made the decision to try to reach Greece by an especially unusual and dangerous route. The two set out from the Akyarlar beach area, near the Turkish city of Bodrum, without any vessel, without navigation equipment, and without advanced rescue gear. They relied only on their swimming ability, while contending with difficult sea conditions, strong currents, and darkness.

During the night, contact with them was lost, and their family members, who were unable to reach them for many long hours, feared they had drowned at sea. Their relatives turned to the Aegean Boat Report, an organization that tracks migrants and asylum seekers in the Aegean Sea, and asked for help locating them. Only in the morning hours were the father and son able to contact their family and report that they had reached the shores of the island of Kos. According to them, they were extremely exhausted and suffering from dehydration after spending long hours in the water.

According to the organization, after reaching shore, the two hid out of fear of encountering the Greek immigration authorities. The organization’s staff were able to locate them, made contact with them, and instructed them to leave their hiding place and wait in a safe location until the authorities arrived. Another organization that monitors migration routes in the Aegean called on the Greek authorities to provide the two with medical treatment, given their physical condition after the journey. It was later reported that Greek police had located the father and son, but no official information was released about their medical condition or about what treatment would follow.

Aid organizations noted that although the Aegean Sea is known as a major route for refugee and migrant movement, cases of a nonstop swim over such a distance are extremely rare. In the overwhelming majority of crossing attempts, people use rubber boats or improvised vessels, and for that reason, the incident was considered unusual even by the organizations operating in the area.