‘Children were wearing fake life jackets’: one Syrian family’s terrifying, 10-year journey

In 2015, two film-makers first met 11-year-old refugee Israa, forced to abandon Aleppo for a new life in Europe, along with her parents and siblings. None of them imagined what would come next

In 2015, an 11-year-old Syrian girl called Israa matter-of-factly explained how her family would survive if their dinghy sank crossing the sea from Turkey to Greece. Her father would grab her disabled sister; her mother would look after the baby. “And I,” said Israa, a huge smile lighting her face, “I know how to rescue myself.”

Wife-and-husband documentary-makers Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes met Israa while filming a BBC series, Exodus, about refugees trying to reach Europe. Their plan was to follow Israa and her family on their hazardous journey to Germany.