More than 400 migrants were rescued in three separate operations south of Crete, while a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of migrant smuggling, the Greek Coast Guard said on Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, the Coast Guard authorities of Kaloi Limenes, Kokkinos Pyrgos and Ierapetra were alerted by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) to a rubber digny carrying migrants about 49 nautical miles south of Kaloi Limenes.

A Coast Guard patrol vessel located the boat and rescued 40 people — 34 men and six minors. The migrants were initially taken to Kaloi Limenes and later transferred to the port of Heraklion.

The Heraklion Port Authority arrested a 19-year-old South Sudanese national, accused of migrant smuggling and facilitating illegal entry. According to survivor testimonies, the journey began on the night of Dec. 24 from Tobruk, Libya, with passengers paying amounts ranging from 14,000 Libyan dinars to 200,000 Egyptian pounds.

361 rescued south of Gavdos

In the early hours of Friday, the Coast Guard authority of Paleochora was informed by the JRCC of a vessel carrying migrants about 35 nautical miles south of the island of Gavdos.

The rescue operation involved the Danish-flagged cargo ship ALBERT MAERSK and a Coast Guard patrol vessel. A total of 361 people were rescued and safely transported to the port of Paleochora, before being taken to a temporary reception facility in Agyia, Chania. The Chania Central Port Authority is conducting the preliminary investigation.

13 migrants found in Ierapetra

Later on Friday evening, Coast Guard officers located 13 migrants on Myrtos beach in Ierapetra following a tip-off. They were transferred to the Ierapetra Port Authority, which is handling the investigation.