Relatives of Alan Kurdi arrive in Canada

Relatives of a Syrian boy whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach, sparking worldwide concern for the refugee crisis, have landed in Canada.

Mohammed, his wife and their five children were greeted at Vancouver International Airport by his sister Tima, who sponsored them.

Their 3-year-old nephew, Alan Kurdi, drowned along with his five-year-old brother and mother while trying to cross the waters between Turkey and Greece in September. “Thank you Prime Minister Trudeau for opening the door and showing the world how everyone should welcome refugees and save lives”, Tima Kurdi said as she welcomed her brother and his family at one of the airport’s arrival gates. His youngest son was born in July – he did not meet his newest child until this past weekend in Frankfurt, before leaving for Vancouver.

“To refugees who struggle all over the world, I’m going to tell them: There is always a light at the end of the tunnel”, continued Tima. Tima Kurdi said she also plans to continue helping refugees by drawing attention to the conflict and encouraging others to open their doors.

His teenage son, Shergo, wants to go back to school as soon as possible.

She had hoped to sponsor Alan and his family next.

After a few minutes, the newly arrived family started chanting: “Thank you, Canada”.

And although the reunion was happy, thoughts of the family that didn’t make it to this country were never far from the surface.

Alan’s father – Tima’s older brother – has declined the invitation to come to Canada and is now living in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, CNN affiliate CBC reports.

Seeing Mohammed Kurdi and his family finally walk on Canadian soil is “bittersweet”, Donnelly said, explaining that he had been working with Tima Kurdi to submit applications for both of her brothers’ families.

Rehana, Aylan and Galip were among the 12 people who drowned after two boats carrying 22 people capsized.

The Kurdis are among 25,000 Syrian refugees the Canadian government has pledged to welcome by the end of February. The brother and sister are planning to work together at Tima Kurdi’s new hair salon in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Kurdi Hair Design.

But while they said they were happy to be reunited, they said what they really wished for was a peaceful future for Syria.