16 migrants, including 5 children, got stuck in swamp at border with Belarus

A dispatch officer at the Voivodeship Fire Service Station in Białystok said the group had been stuck in a swamp area near Siemianówka. A fire service unit took two boats and swam upstream. Later they searched for the migrants on foot. After locating the group, they first evacuated children. In total, 16 people were rescued, including 5 children. The operation was ended at 1:30 a.m.

Spokesperson for Podlaski Border Guard Regional Unit (POSG), Katarzyna Zdanowicz, said on Tuesday that one child had been sent to a hospital, and that the life of the migrants was not in danger.

"Due to a very difficult marshy terrain, reaching the foreigners was extremely tough. A State Fire Service unit from Hajnówka, fitted with special equipment, was involved. Thanks to a swift action taken by the guards and firefighters, all people were rescued from the swamps. It turned out that, shortly after illegally crossing the Polish-Belarusian border, the 16 Iraqi citizens got stuck at the wetlands," the POSG said in a statement.

An ambulance was called to the scene and the medics checked the migrants' condition. A decision was made to send a newborn to a hospital, along with its mother and two siblings. After being treated on the spot, the rest of the group were taken to the Border Guard station in Narewka.

"The Iraqi citizens received dry clothes and were offered warm meal. At the moment they are in the Border Guard station in Narewka, where administrative procedure will be carried out with them," the POSG said.

The POSG spokesperson added that official procedure with the Iraqis was started shortly after and it was not clear at the time if they would be filing for international protection.

According to Polish Border Guard, 134 tried to illegally enter Poland from Belarus on Monday (March 21). The highest number of foreigners were detained in Narewka (Podlaskie Voivodeship) - 40 people.