Unusual Smuggling Route: Migrants Cross Aegean to Fire-Ravaged Island

Greek authorities have apprehended two individuals on charges of smuggling 35 migrants across the Aegean Sea using an unusual route, which led them to an island affected by wildfires near the mainland, AP is reporting.

According to the coast guard’s report, the two men were intercepted off the coast of Evia, a 15-meter (45-foot) speedboat was involved, and their intended direction was towards Turkey, the suspected point of departure.

Subsequently, the 35 migrants were discovered on a beach near Kymi, a town located in central Evia. This particular island has recently been facing wildfires, and tragically, a water-dropping plane involved in firefighting crashed, resulting in the loss of both pilots’ lives.

Over the years, Greece has remained a prominent entry point for individuals seeking refuge from conflict or hardships in the Middle East and Africa, aspiring to build a better life within the European Union.

Traditionally, many were smuggled via small boats from the Turkish coast to Greece’s eastern Aegean islands. However, due to intensified patrols in that area, this route has become less favoured. As an alternative, smugglers have been resorting to sailboats, densely packed with people, navigating through the central and southern Aegean, circumventing the southern tip of Greece, and continuing onward to Italy.