The refugee who was photographed weeping as he landed on a Greek island cradling his children has reached safety in Germany.

The image of Laith Majid was shared by thousands of people on social media, provoking global discussion of the refugee crisis last month as calls grew for Europe to give families risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean a safe home.

He and his family arrived in Kos at dawn on 16 August after being crammed in a dinghy meant for just

three people with eight other refugees. The vessel lost buoyancy and started taking on water during the voyage from Turkey, risking yet another sinking in the Aegean Sea.

The route from Bodrum to Kos was the same journey that killed three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, whose body was photographed washed up on a beach.

Photographer Daniel Etter caught Laith’s tears of relief as he reached dry land with his son and daughter in his arms, before the family stayed in a makeshift tent and attempted to journey on to the Greek mainland.