A surge in migrant boats arriving off southern Crete has prompted local authorities to convene an emergency meeting as arrivals to the island continue to accelerate, with nearly 300 irregular migrants brought ashore in multiple incidents over the past 24 hours.
The Regional Union of Municipalities of Crete is due to hold a videoconference on Friday focused exclusively on the pressure facing the large island, as local officials assess the latest influx and review proposed legislative changes being prepared by the Migration and Asylum Ministry.
The meeting comes amid mounting concern among local authorities over a sharp increase in arrivals from Libya. Over the past two months, southern Crete and the nearby island of Gavdos have emerged as a key entry smuggling route into Greece, with repeated large-scale search and rescue operations stretching reception facilities and prompting calls for additional government support and a more permanent management framework.
In one of the latest incidents, 74 migrants were located 21 nautical miles southwest of Ierapetra following a search-and-rescue operation coordinated by the joint rescue coordination center.
Authorities also arrested a 28-year-old Sudanese national after 42 migrants were found on Plakaki beach near Paleochora. Authorities identified him as the alleged smuggler, with other foreign nationals reportedly stating they had departed from Tobruk in eastern Libya. The vessel used in the crossing was seized and an investigation is ongoing.
Earlier, a Frontex patrol vessel picked up 31 migrants from a boat east of Gavdos and transported them to Agia Galini on Crete’s southern coast. During the subsequent investigation, a 16-year-old Sudanese national was identified as the suspected smuggler. The group of migrants told authorities they had departed from Tobruk on June 2 and paid between US$1,500 and $3,000 each for the clandestine journey.
In separate operations, another 38 migrants were rescued south-southwest of Gavdos and transferred to Chania, while a further 38 people, including four women and four minors, were picked up by a Frontex vessel about 40 nautical miles south of Kali Limenes.
