Father of drowned Syrian boy washed up on Turkish beach shares heartache: ‘They slipped out of my hands’

The father of two boys who were tragically killed off the coast of Turkey has spoken of his grief

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by Fiona Day |
Published on

The world has been left shocked by the image of a 3-year-old boy found washed up on Turkish beach after tragically drowning.

Following the publication of the image, there has been a massive outpouring of grief met with a call for governments to act fast over the Syrian refugee crisis.

Now the father of the little boy- identified as Aylan Kurdi- has spoken of his immense grief over losing both Aylan and his five year old son Galip as well as their mother, Rehan.

He described how his young family ‘slipped through his fingers’ after the boat carrying them capsized in the Mediterranean sea.

Tragic father Abdullah told reporters: “My kids were the most beautiful children in the world, wonderful. Now all I want to do is sit next to the grave of my wife and children.”

He added to Turkey’s Dogan News Agency: “I was holding my wife's hand, but my children slipped through my hands. We tried to cling to the boat, but it was deflating.

“It was dark and everyone was screaming.”

Many have spoken out in protest at the treatment of refugees fleeing war torn Syria
Many have spoken out in protest at the treatment of refugees fleeing war torn Syria

Abdullah was told by a people smuggler that the journey would take 10 minutes before tragedy occurred.

The family was trying to make their way to Canada to stay with family after their Visa applications were denied.

They were attempting to flee Damascus in Syria, which has seen some of the worst violence during the country’s lengthy civil war.

The UK government are now holding an emergency meeting to discuss the refugee crisis in wake of public condemnation of the current handling of arriving migrants.

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