Nearly 1,300 Migrants Arrive in Southern Crete Within 24 Hours

Greek authorities recorded a sharp rise in migrant arrivals off the southern coast of Crete, with nearly 1,300 refugees and migrants reaching the island over the past 24 hours.

Favourable weather conditions contributed to a series of boat crossings from the African coastline towards Greece. Over the past four days, officials documented 25 separate arrival incidents in southern parts of the country.

According to Vasilis Katsikandarákis, president of the Panhellenic Union of Coast Guard Personnel of Western Crete, almost 1,300 migrants and refugees arrived across the island during this period.

Rescue Operations Continue

Early Sunday morning, authorities rescued approximately 35 irregular migrants — all men — who were travelling in a small boat south of Kali Limenes.

In earlier incidents, dozens of migrants were found aboard vessels that had departed from African shores. Since Friday morning, operations conducted by the Hellenic Coast Guard located and rescued more than 600 foreign nationals in waters near the island.

Arrests Following Gavdos Rescue

Authorities also arrested two foreign nationals in connection with a separate case involving the rescue of 112 third-country nationals on Friday in the maritime area south of Gavdos.

Coast guard officials expressed concern that migration flows may increase further due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Katsikandarákis warned that Crete has effectively become a primary entry point into Greece for migrants travelling across the Mediterranean.

Migration Issue Raised at EU Meeting

The issue was also raised during a recent meeting of the Council of the European Union on Justice and Home Affairs.

Greece’s Minister for Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, highlighted the growing number of irregular arrivals from eastern Libya during 2025 and stressed the importance of establishing so-called “return hubs” to manage migration flows more effectively.