Greek authorities successfully rescued more than 753 migrants in multiple large-scale operations in the waters surrounding Gavdos island, the country’s southernmost point, the Hellenic Coast Guard announced Sunday.
The series of coordinated rescue efforts, managed by the Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (ESRC), involved coast guard vessels alongside international merchant ships responding to distress calls in the Mediterranean.
The largest single operation occurred 25 nautical miles southeast of Gavdos, where 430 people aboard a dangerously overloaded fishing boat were rescued with assistance from a coast guard patrol boat and a Panama-flagged tanker.
Multiple Rescue Operations Coordinated
In a separate incident earlier in the day, 67 migrants were spotted by a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship approximately 30 nautical miles south of Gavdos.
“The rescued persons were intercepted and transferred to the port of Palaiochora in Crete,” a coast guard spokesperson confirmed.
An additional group of nearly two dozen migrants was intercepted by a coast guard patrol boat in waters close to Gavdos and transported directly to the island.
The rescued individuals were transported to the ports of Agia Galini and Palaiochora on Crete, as well as to Gavdos itself.
Growing Migration Route from Libya
The rescues highlight Gavdos’s emergence as a key arrival point for migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya, approximately 170 kilometers to the south.
Greece has recorded more than 60,000 migrant arrivals in 2024, the vast majority by sea, compared to just over 48,000 the previous year.
The tiny island of Gavdos, with a permanent population of just 70 residents, has been increasingly overwhelmed by migrant arrivals since early 2024.
This is an unprecedented situation,” Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis stated during a recent visit to both Crete and Gavdos.
Strategic Location Creates Challenges
Gavdos, covering just 30 square kilometers, represents Europe’s southernmost inhabited point and lies 48 kilometers south of Crete.
The island’s remote location and minimal infrastructure have created significant challenges for handling the influx of arrivals.
“It is easy for them to come here because out at sea there is no navy, no coast guard, no Frontex to stop them,” said Lefteris Lougiakis, Gavdos’s deputy mayor.
Two additional vessels arrived in coastal areas of the municipalities of Gortyna and Heraklion on the larger island of Crete during the same period.
Safe Reception and Registration
All rescued individuals were transferred to designated first reception points where they underwent registration procedures.
“They were administered food, water and treatment,” authorities confirmed, adding that medical personnel assessed those requiring additional care.
The nationalities of those rescued were not immediately disclosed, though previous arrivals to the area have primarily included people from Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sudan.
Greek authorities noted that smugglers typically charge migrants approximately $2,000 per person for the dangerous journey from Libya.
Coordinated International Response
The successful operations demonstrated effective coordination between Greek authorities and international vessels in the area.
Commercial ships operating in the region played a crucial role, with the Panama-flagged tanker and Marshall Islands cargo vessel responding to coast guard requests for assistance.
“The swift response of merchant vessels in the area was instrumental in ensuring all individuals were safely brought to shore,” a coast guard official stated.
Greece’s coast guard has emphasized that it operates with respect to human rights and has rescued more than 250,000 people since 2015.
Ongoing Humanitarian Concerns
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that 1,186 migrants arrived in vessels landing “in the vicinity” of Gavdos in just three months earlier this year.
“The absence of a center obviously poses great challenges for the island,” said Stella Nanou, a UNHCR spokesperson in Greece.
Local authorities on Gavdos, which lacks proper reception facilities, have struggled to provide basic necessities to arriving migrants.
“We have the responsibility of providing them with shelter and food. During the winter, we cut wood to keep them warm,” Lougiakis explained.
Government Response Promised
Following the latest rescues, the Greek government has pledged additional resources to help Gavdos and Crete manage the situation.
“Crete will not be left alone, and even more so Gavdos. We are here to help the local community. The resources and the means are there,” Kairidis assured.
Most new arrivals are typically transferred quickly from Gavdos to Crete and then to mainland Greece for processing.
The approaching summer months, with warmer weather and calmer seas, could encourage more attempted crossings from the Libyan coast.
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