WARNING: Some readers may find these images distressing.
Pictures showing the lifeless body of young Syrian refugee have shocked Europe.
The upsetting image depicts the dark-haired boy, clothed in a red T-shirt and shorts, washed up on a beach, lying face down in the surf close to Bodrum, one of Turkey’s resort towns.
An accompanying image portrays a policeman carrying the body away from the beach.
According to
The Guardian, the young boy is believed to have been one of at least 12 Syrians who drowned attempting to reach Greece.
The powerful pictures have understandably gone viral as people try to come to terms with the reality of Europe's current refugee crisis, becoming the top trending picture on Twitter under the hashtag #KiyiyaVuranInsanlik
It translates as 'Humanity washed ashore.'
https://twitter.com/guilleme/status/639105211248848896?refsrc=email&s=11
https://twitter.com/alex_maher/status/639097787913793537
https://twitter.com/FutureGillian/status/639096564351373312
https://twitter.com/somebriski/status/639101343748255744
Meanwhile, the Irish Naval Service is extending its mission in the Mediterranean.
Minister for Defence Simon Coveney says The L.E Samuel Beckett will replace L.E Niamh from the end of September until the end of November.
The Irish Navy has been aiding Italian authorities in search and rescue operations involving refugees.
Story and images via The Guardian and Reuters
![PICS: These incredibly powerful images of a drowned Syrian boy have shocked all of Europe [WARNING: Upsetting images]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.joe.ie%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F09%2FSyrian-child-3-main-pic.jpg%3Fheight%3D1024%26width%3D1024&w=1536&q=75)
