Walking Dead actor David Morrissey rescues migrant children from boats in harrowing video highlighting crisis

More than 80,000 desperate migrants have fled to Greece to escape persecution, conflict and war, leaving a Government struggling to contain a rapidly growing crisis.

Their plight has been highlighted by The Walking Dead actor David Morrissey, who joined the coast guard and helped rescue children from life boats arriving at the island of Lesvos this week.

Tens of thousands reach Greek islands by sea, many of them travelling from Syria, with the coast guard rescuing 15 boats a day.

Morrissey, an ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), described the deplorable scenes he witnessed as “the challenge of our age” and urged European leaders to deal with the growing humanitarian crisis by offering “meaningful and credible alternatives” such as resettling migrants.

“The Greek authorities are battling with their own economic crisis and this previously unseen surge in the number of refugees is too much of a burden for one country to face at the best of times, never mind at this testing period in Greek history.”

The father-of-three found the experience particularly harrowing after meeting children like Mohamed, who had crossed the treacherous waters from Aleppo without his parents. He said he had not seen his mother and father for two years.

“I couldn’t imagine not seeing or hearing from my 13-year-old child for two years, wondering where they are in the world and not knowing if they are safe or not. Praying that they are met with kindness and compassion.”