According to Greek authorities, over 450 migrants arrived on Greece's Aegean Sea islands from Turkey in less than two days. Among them, 51 individuals made landfall on the exclusive resort of Mykonos. This surge in migration to Greece is largely attributed to favorable summer sailing conditions.
While Greece was previously the main entry point to the European Union for those seeking a better life in the wealthier bloc, Italy now receives nearly seven times more arrivals than Greece.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni addressed the issue of immigration during a working dinner in Athens. Both leaders emphasized the importance of border control and cracking down on migrant smuggling networks.
In one incident on Mykonos, a motor yacht carrying 42 men, eight women, and a child landed on the island. However, several hours later, the Greek coast guard intercepted the boat near the eastern Aegean island of Patmos and apprehended three men suspected of belonging to a migrant smuggling group based in Turkey.
Furthermore, 30 migrants, including six children, were discovered on the coast of Evia, an island near the Greek mainland that has experienced a recent influx of arrivals despite its relative distance from Turkey. The migrants claimed to have been transported by a speedboat that returned to Turkey.
Overall, from Wednesday morning to Thursday evening, a total of 463 people were rescued or picked up. This figure includes 185 migrants who were previously rescued in Greek waters, as reported by the coast guard.
In recent years, smuggling gangs have avoided the short crossing from Turkey to eastern Aegean islands like Lesbos and Samos due to increased Greek marine patrols. Instead, they prefer the longer route through southern Greece to Italy. Human rights groups have accused Greek authorities of secret deportations to Turkey, which Athens vehemently denies. However, now there is a nearly daily influx or rescue of dozens of migrants off the eastern Greek islands. On Thursday, the coast guard conducted three separate operations to rescue 76 individuals from disabled boats near Samos.
Additionally, 50 migrants, including 10 children, were rescued from an inflatable boat near the eastern island of Symi. Furthermore, 47 individuals were evacuated from two boats off Lesbos, and 24 were discovered on a rocky coast on the islet of Oinousses.
According to United Nations figures, more than 17,300 people, mostly arriving by sea, have reached Greece so far this year, compared to 19,000 arrivals in the entirety of 2022. Italy, on the other hand, has received nearly 113,000 migrants since January, and Spain has welcomed nearly 20,000 arrivals.
