Greece 346 people rescued from distress at sea off Crete within hours
Hundreds of migrants have arrived on the Greek vacation island of Crete this week.
06.03.2026, 10:56
SDA
According to the coast guard, a total of 346 people were rescued from distress at sea in seven different operations in just five hours on Friday alone. According to Greek media reports, the people set sail from Libya.
On Thursday, 456 migrants had already arrived on Crete - according to the authorities, mainly men from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Egypt. The authorities assume that smuggling gangs are taking advantage of the current good weather in the sea area.
Coastguard and Frontex in action
Several boats from the Greek Coast Guard took part in the rescue operations, as well as air surveillance from the EU border protection agency Frontex. In one case, a cargo ship also assisted in rescuing the people, according to coastguard circles.
Crete an important entry point
Crete is now considered one of the most important entry points for migrants arriving irregularly from Libya to Greece and thus to the European Union. According to official figures, around 20,000 people reached the island in 2025.
