Netflix swim star ‘spy’ cleared over rescue

A SYRIAN refugee star swimmer whose extraordinary story was turned into a Netflix film was yesterday cleared of espionage char ges for helping migrants trying to enter Greece.

Sarah Mardini was fleeing war-torn Syria in 2015 along with her sister Yusra when their overcrowded boat’s engine conked out.

The pair, who had been training to join Syria’s Olympic swimming team, got into the water and dragged the boat to safety on the Greek island of Lesbos. Their story was turned into a hit Netflix film The Swimmers last year.

While Yusra went on to compete for the Olympic Refugee Team in 2016 and 2020, Sarah returned to Greece after receiving asylum in Germany to help others in danger trying to reach Europe.

She was arrested in 2018 on Lesbos as she tried to rescue migrants stranded at sea. She was put on trial along with 23 other volunteer aid workers on misdemeanour charges that included espionage and forgery.

The lengthy case was slammed by rights groups as a sham to intimidate humanitarian groups and stop them from helping migrants. The UN Human Rights Office said yesterday: “Trials like this are deeply concerning because they criminalise life-saving work.”

The judge threw out the cases against the 22 foreign defendants. The group still faces allegations of human smuggling. Charges have not yet been laid.