Greek authorities confirmed on Wednesday that a boat carrying 91 migrants has arrived on Gavdos island, located south of Crete, signaling a surge in migrant arrivals to the area.
The migrants, discovered on a beach on Gavdos island on Tuesday, are being transported to reception areas on Crete, according to a statement from the coast guard. The group is suspected to have departed from eastern Libya, approximately 170 nautical miles south of their final destination. The nationalities of the migrants have not been disclosed.
Over the past month, there has been a notable increase in migrant arrivals along the southern coastline of Crete and Gavdos island. In the last four weeks alone, more than 600 individuals aboard approximately a dozen boats have either landed in the area or been rescued offshore.
Greek coast guard reports indicate that many of these migrants embarked on their journey from the eastern Libyan port of Tobruk, paying smuggling rings up to $5,000 each for passage across the Mediterranean Sea.
The influx of migrants has placed significant strain on the resources of Gavdos, a small island primarily known as an alternative tourism destination. With just a few dozen residents during the off-season, the island’s mayor has appealed to government officials for additional funding to support the immediate needs of arriving migrants, including food and lodging, before they are transferred to Crete.
Greece remains a key entry point for migrants seeking asylum or a better life within the European Union. While the eastern Aegean Sea islands near Turkey have historically been the primary destination, heightened patrols by Greek and European Union forces have prompted smuggling networks to explore alternative routes, including those from Libya to southern Crete and from Turkey to Italy, bypassing the eastern Greek islands.
