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| Alan Kurdi death: A Syrian Kurdish family forced to flee | Alan Kurdi death: A Syrian Kurdish family forced to flee |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The drowned boy who washed up on a Turkish beach on Wednesday, whose picture cut through the refugee debate in an instant, was three-year-old Alan Kurdi from Kobane in Syria. | The drowned boy who washed up on a Turkish beach on Wednesday, whose picture cut through the refugee debate in an instant, was three-year-old Alan Kurdi from Kobane in Syria. |
| Alan set out early that morning from Turkey for the Greek island of Kos with his father Abdullah, mother Rehanna, and five-year-old brother Ghalib. A few hours later, Abdullah was back in on dry land and his wife and sons were dead. | |
| The Kurdi family was trying to reach Canada to reunite with Abdullah's sister Teema but their asylum applications had been denied. They had two strikes against them: the UN would not register them as refugees, and because they were unregistered, the Turkish government would not grant them exit visas. | The Kurdi family was trying to reach Canada to reunite with Abdullah's sister Teema but their asylum applications had been denied. They had two strikes against them: the UN would not register them as refugees, and because they were unregistered, the Turkish government would not grant them exit visas. |
| Abdullah clearly felt he had exhausted all official avenues out of Turkey. The family joined a group of refugees aboard two boats setting out from the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. Of the 23 people in the group, 14 are believed to have died. | Abdullah clearly felt he had exhausted all official avenues out of Turkey. The family joined a group of refugees aboard two boats setting out from the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. Of the 23 people in the group, 14 are believed to have died. |
| It was, tragically, not a high number in a summer scarred by mass deaths in the Mediterranean, but the images that emerged set the incident apart. Having floated back to Turkish shores, Alan was pictured lying face down in the sand, his body terribly small, dressed in a red shirt, blue shorts and velcro shoes. In another picture he was seen cradled by the guard who carried him away. | It was, tragically, not a high number in a summer scarred by mass deaths in the Mediterranean, but the images that emerged set the incident apart. Having floated back to Turkish shores, Alan was pictured lying face down in the sand, his body terribly small, dressed in a red shirt, blue shorts and velcro shoes. In another picture he was seen cradled by the guard who carried him away. |
| His name has been spelt 'Aylan' by much of the media, including the BBC, but Teema Kurdi told us today that this was a Turkish version of the name given by Turkish officials - his Kurdish name was Alan. | His name has been spelt 'Aylan' by much of the media, including the BBC, but Teema Kurdi told us today that this was a Turkish version of the name given by Turkish officials - his Kurdish name was Alan. |
| Stateless | Stateless |
| As Syrian Kurds, the Kurdi's chances of being granted asylum in Canada were hampered from the moment they set out for Turkey. For many years, Syria denied its Kurdish population citizenship and Kurds were regarded as stateless by the authorities. A decree in 2011 allowed some to apply for citizenship but others were ineligible and many were forced to flee before they could apply. | As Syrian Kurds, the Kurdi's chances of being granted asylum in Canada were hampered from the moment they set out for Turkey. For many years, Syria denied its Kurdish population citizenship and Kurds were regarded as stateless by the authorities. A decree in 2011 allowed some to apply for citizenship but others were ineligible and many were forced to flee before they could apply. |
| The Kurdis had been living in Damascus until the early stages of the Syrian conflict in late 2011. When the violence in the city escalated, they relocated back to Makharij village, 25km outside the northern town of Kobane. | The Kurdis had been living in Damascus until the early stages of the Syrian conflict in late 2011. When the violence in the city escalated, they relocated back to Makharij village, 25km outside the northern town of Kobane. |
| When Kobane became a flashpoint in the conflict between Kurdish fighters and Islamic State militants in late 2014, the family fled along with tens of thousands of others for Turkey. But while crossing Turkey's open border gave them refuge, it did not give them status. | When Kobane became a flashpoint in the conflict between Kurdish fighters and Islamic State militants in late 2014, the family fled along with tens of thousands of others for Turkey. But while crossing Turkey's open border gave them refuge, it did not give them status. |
| Turkey was the first of Syria's neighbours to respond formally to the refugee crisis, declaring a temporary protection policy in October 2011 that guaranteed no Syrian refugees would be sent home. Under the policy, those with passports are given a year-long residence permit and are free to move. But those without documents are obliged to register at a refugee camp and stay there, or they are "irregular" - living illegally outside of camps. | Turkey was the first of Syria's neighbours to respond formally to the refugee crisis, declaring a temporary protection policy in October 2011 that guaranteed no Syrian refugees would be sent home. Under the policy, those with passports are given a year-long residence permit and are free to move. But those without documents are obliged to register at a refugee camp and stay there, or they are "irregular" - living illegally outside of camps. |
| Asylum application | Asylum application |
| This is the situation the Kurdis found themselves in, staying in Istanbul but desperate to leave Turkey. They were in a kind of limbo - unable to obtain exit visas from Turkey because they lacked passports and unable to win asylum elsewhere because they lacked exit visas. | This is the situation the Kurdis found themselves in, staying in Istanbul but desperate to leave Turkey. They were in a kind of limbo - unable to obtain exit visas from Turkey because they lacked passports and unable to win asylum elsewhere because they lacked exit visas. |
| So Abdullah's sister Teema, a Vancouver hairdresser, sponsored a "G5" private asylum application from Canada. | So Abdullah's sister Teema, a Vancouver hairdresser, sponsored a "G5" private asylum application from Canada. |
| Canadian MP Fin Donnelly has said he hand-delivered the Kurdis' application to the country's immigration minister Chris Alexander, but it was rejected. We don't know exactly why - Mr Alexander said on Thursday he would meet officials to "ascertain both the facts of the case of the Kurdi family and to receive an update on the migrant crisis". | Canadian MP Fin Donnelly has said he hand-delivered the Kurdis' application to the country's immigration minister Chris Alexander, but it was rejected. We don't know exactly why - Mr Alexander said on Thursday he would meet officials to "ascertain both the facts of the case of the Kurdi family and to receive an update on the migrant crisis". |
| "I was trying to sponsor them," Teema said, "and I have my friends and my neighbours who helped me with the bank deposits, but we couldn't get them out, and that is why they went in the boat." | "I was trying to sponsor them," Teema said, "and I have my friends and my neighbours who helped me with the bank deposits, but we couldn't get them out, and that is why they went in the boat." |
| The Kurdis had made three previous attempts to leave Turkey, family members told the BBC, but all failed. On the fourth attempt they worked with people in Izmir to get them to the coast and then on to Kos by boat. They are believed to have paid €4,000 (£2,900; $4,400) for the crossing - several times the cost of airfare to Canada for the whole family. | The Kurdis had made three previous attempts to leave Turkey, family members told the BBC, but all failed. On the fourth attempt they worked with people in Izmir to get them to the coast and then on to Kos by boat. They are believed to have paid €4,000 (£2,900; $4,400) for the crossing - several times the cost of airfare to Canada for the whole family. |
| Except, of course, they never made it. The two small boats were hit by high waves just a few minutes after they set off and the captain fled. Abdullah Kurdi found himself fighting to save his two young boys. | Except, of course, they never made it. The two small boats were hit by high waves just a few minutes after they set off and the captain fled. Abdullah Kurdi found himself fighting to save his two young boys. |
| In heartbreaking detail, he described the moment his young family drowned. | |
| "I tried to catch my children and wife but there was no hope. One by one they died," he said. | |
| "I tried to steer the boat but another high wave pushed the boat over. That is when it happened. | "I tried to steer the boat but another high wave pushed the boat over. That is when it happened. |
| "My children were the most beautiful children in the world. Is there anybody in the world for whom their child is not the most precious thing? | "My children were the most beautiful children in the world. Is there anybody in the world for whom their child is not the most precious thing? |
| "My kids were amazing. They woke me everyday to play with me. What is more beautiful than this? Everything is gone. | "My kids were amazing. They woke me everyday to play with me. What is more beautiful than this? Everything is gone. |
| "I would love to sit next to the grave of my family now and relieve the pain I feel." | "I would love to sit next to the grave of my family now and relieve the pain I feel." |
| Abdullah said Canadian officials had now offered him citizenship after seeing what had happened but he declined. He intends to fly his family to Istanbul and then on to Kobane, where he will bury them. |