Shocking footage has emerged of tourists attempting to push a boat full of migrants back out to sea after it tried to land on a popular Greek beach, as Europe’s southernmost frontier struggles with an unprecedented surge in arrivals from Libya.
The dramatic confrontation occurred at Sarakiniko beach on the tiny island of Gavdos when beachgoers waded into the water to physically prevent the vessel from reaching shore. Video posted on TikTok captured tourists shoving the boat away whilst migrants remained aboard, with a caption in Greek reading: “You came here for no reason lads, have a good trip back.”
A Frontex vessel later intervened, taking the migrants aboard and transporting them to the port, according to official reports from Greek authorities. The incident highlights mounting tensions on the 33-square-kilometre island, which has seen over 578 people arrive in under 24 hours during one weekend alone this month.
Greece Hardens Migration Stance with Prison Threats
The beach confrontation comes just weeks after Greece’s parliament passed what critics call Europe’s harshest migration law, threatening rejected asylum seekers with up to five years in prison and fines of €10,000 (£8,500). The legislation, approved on 3 September, marks the latest crackdown by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s conservative government.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris told parliament the message to migrants was “clear” before the vote. “If your asylum request is rejected, you have two choices. Either you go to jail or return to your homeland,” he declared, adding bluntly: “The Greek state does not accept you. You’re not welcome.”
The new measures include electronic ankle monitors for failed asylum seekers, administrative detention lasting up to 24 months, and a 14-day deadline to leave Greece voluntarily before facing criminal prosecution. Opposition parties branded the legislation “racist” and “inhumane,” with critics warning it represents what some call a “Trumpian turn” in European migration policy.
Island at Breaking Point as Numbers Soar
Gavdos, Europe’s southernmost inhabited island, has become the unlikely epicentre of Greece’s migration crisis. Local authorities report that over 1,100 migrants are currently housed at a temporary reception centre in nearby Agia, Chania, with hundreds living in what officials describe as “miserable conditions” with only two showers and one toilet available.
Deputy Mayor of Chania Eleni Zervoudaki expressed desperation about the deteriorating situation. “There is a very frustrating situation,” she told reporters. “We are waiting, we do not know the exact number of migrants arriving, but it seems that more will be added to the 1,139 we already have here today.”
The surge represents a dramatic escalation from previous years. Greece recorded 7,300 asylum seekers reaching Gavdos and Crete in 2025, compared to under 5,000 for all of 2024. In July alone, 3,534 migrants arrived on Crete, prompting emergency measures from Athens.
Asylum Freeze Triggers International Condemnation
In July, Mitsotakis suspended all asylum applications from North African arrivals for three months, declaring that “the passage to Greece is closed.” The unprecedented move drew sharp criticism from the United Nations refugee agency, which warned it violated fundamental human rights.
The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right enshrined in international, European and national law,” UNHCR stated, emphasising that it “applies to everyone regardless of how or where they arrive in a country.” The agency stressed that states cannot deviate from this principle, even during periods of migratory pressure.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, condemned Athens’s response as potentially legalising “returning people to face a risk of torture and other serious violations.” The European Court of Human Rights has already issued interim measures preventing Greece from deporting Sudanese and Eritrean nationals without examining their asylum claims.
Frontex Investigates Rights Violations
The EU border agency Frontex confirmed it is currently investigating 12 cases of potential human rights violations by Greek authorities, with spokesperson Chris Borowski stating that each case is being “examined thoroughly.” Nine incidents occurred in 2024, two in 2025, and one dates from 2023.
“Gone are the days of unconditional support,” Borowski warned, indicating Frontex may reduce funding for Greek operations if corrective measures aren’t implemented. The investigations include allegations of illegal pushbacks, where asylum seekers are forcibly returned across borders without due process.
Human rights organisations have long accused Greece of systematic pushbacks at both land and sea borders. According to the Aegean Boat Report, between January 2020 and July 2024, Greece conducted 3,109 pushbacks in the Aegean Sea alone, affecting 84,972 people.
Libya Route Fuels Mediterranean Crisis
Most migrants reaching Gavdos embark from northeastern Libya, making the perilous 350-kilometre journey in unseaworthy vessels often hastily constructed for a single voyage. The boats typically carry people fleeing conflict and poverty in Sudan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Greece’s Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis met with eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar in July, emphasising the need for cooperation to stem the flow. The government has deployed two frigates near Libyan waters and urged enhanced collaboration with the EU.
The Mediterranean nation bore the brunt of Europe’s 2015-2016 migration crisis when over one million people crossed into the continent. Under Mitsotakis, who came to power in 2019, Greece has constructed a fence along its northern border with Turkey and significantly boosted maritime patrols.
Tourism Industry Feels the Strain
The crisis has created particular tensions during peak tourist season, complicating transport logistics and alarming holidaymakers. Footage from various beaches shows migrants taking selfies immediately after landing, whilst overwhelmed local authorities struggle to provide basic accommodation.
At one incident in July, 39 migrants reached Chrysostomos beach on an inflatable boat and began photographing themselves upon arrival. The juxtaposition of desperate asylum seekers and beach tourism has created unprecedented challenges for Greek islands dependent on summer visitors.
Local officials warn of a public health “time bomb” as facilities designed for dozens now house hundreds. “All control has been lost. We are at the mercy of circumstances,” Zervoudaki stressed, noting that some migrants have been stuck in inadequate facilities since mid-August whilst awaiting transfer to mainland Greece.
Returns and Deportations Accelerate
Greece announced it has already returned hundreds of irregular migrants following July’s asylum suspension, with planned deportation flights to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt scheduled throughout September. The government claims the tough approach has worked, with arrivals on Crete dropping from over 2,600 in the first week of July to just 689 throughout August.
The dramatic reduction followed Mitsotakis’s declaration that human smugglers should understand “the passage to Greece is closed.” His administration argues the measures are necessary to protect Greek citizens and maintain border security.
However, critics question the enforceability of the new laws given Greece’s already overcrowded prison system. The Greek Council for Refugees director Lefteris Papagiannakis called the legislation “contradictory” given Greece’s declining population and labour shortages, suggesting migrants could offer solutions to economic challenges.
As tourists and migrants clash on Gavdos’s beaches, the incident starkly illustrates Europe’s ongoing struggle to balance humanitarian obligations with political pressures. The tiny island, once known primarily for its pristine beaches and mythological connections as Calypso’s prison for Odysseus, has become the unlikely flashpoint in a crisis testing the EU’s commitment to international law and human dignity.
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