ATHENS, Greece — Over the weekend, more than 230 migrants traveled in small boats from North Africa and arrived on the Greek island of Crete, according to Greek authorities on Monday.
These arrivals, occurring in six separate journeys, significantly surpassed the number of migrants taking the more common route from Turkey to nearby eastern Aegean islands over the same period.
This year, Crete has become a notable destination for migrants risking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean from Libya. In response, the Greek government is contemplating the establishment of state-funded migrant processing centers on the island, which has a population of about 625,000, to support local authorities.
The journey from Libya typically takes at least two days, whereas a fast smuggling boat departing from Turkey can reach the eastern islands in under an hour, assuming it avoids the frequent coast guard patrols.
Greek authorities are preparing for a potential rise in refugee arrivals due to conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza.
Officials noted that the migrants reaching Crete during the weekend mainly identified themselves as being from Egypt, Sudan, or Bangladesh.
The Greek coast guard reported the largest single arrival involved 55 individuals rescued by a merchant ship late Saturday after their vessel encountered difficulties south of Crete.
In each instance, the migrants who arrived in Crete stated they had departed from Tobruk, an eastern Libyan port, and paid smuggling networks up to 9,000 euros each for the passage. A dozen people on the boats were arrested under suspicion of being part of smuggling rings.
Additionally, around 100 more migrants reached Crete on Friday.
Greece remains a significant entry point for individuals from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia seeking better opportunities in the European Union. To date, the vast majority have crossed in small boats from Turkey.