Greek Coast Guard Rescues 197 Migrants in Multiple Sea Operations

Greek authorities carried out a series of coordinated search and rescue missions on Monday, successfully saving a total of 197 undocumented migrants found at sea.

The operations were led by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), with support from the Hellenic Coast Guard and Frontex units.

Early Monday morning, a Coast Guard patrol boat rescued 74 migrants from a vessel located south of Kali Limenes, Crete. The rescued individuals were safely transferred to the port of Kali Limenes for further assistance.

Later the same day, a Frontex vessel intercepted and rescued 68 migrants approximately 1.7 nautical miles south of the island of Gavdos. These individuals were subsequently taken to the port of Paleochora, where they began the standard reception procedures.

In a third operation, 55 migrants were discovered 18 nautical miles south of Cape Tainaron on a vessel at sea. Nineteen of them were rescued by a Hellenic Coast Guard ship, while the remaining 36 were transferred aboard a Portuguese-flagged container ship. Both groups are being brought to the port of Kalamata.

Separately, 112 migrants are scheduled to be transferred overnight from the port of Souda in Chania to Piraeus aboard the vessel Kissamos. Upon arrival early Tuesday morning, the group will be escorted by the Coast Guard to a closed reception centre in the Attica region.

These rescue efforts highlight Greece’s ongoing commitment to managing maritime migrant flows and ensuring the safety of those attempting the dangerous sea crossing.