Greek authorities rescued nearly 100 migrants attempting to cross from Turkey to the eastern Aegean Sea islands in four separate incidents, according to the coast guard.
The arrivals, mainly in small unseaworthy boats provided by smugglers, have increased in recent weeks. In one incident, a patrol boat located 41 people on an inflatable dinghy drifting near Lesbos and safely evacuated them to a reception center on the island.
Another 17 people were stopped on a dinghy near the Aegean islets of Arkii, and they were taken to Patmos. A boat carrying 17 people was found adrift off Samos, with one migrant requiring medical treatment. Another 18 people, including three children, were rescued later in the day from a second boat off Samos. Greek officials have attributed the rise in arrivals to new smuggling routes to Europe, the flourishing black market industry in Turkey producing low-quality boats, and favorable summer sailing conditions.