Greece Almost 250 migrants picked up south of the vacation island of Crete
According to the Greek coast guard, 245 migrants were picked up south of the Mediterranean island of Crete within 24 hours.
22.08.2024, 11:28
SDA
According to local media reports, most of them had set off on cutters from the Libyan port of Tobruk. Coastguard sources said that five men had been arrested as suspected smugglers.
Most of the migrants were initially taken to Gavdos, a small island around 20 nautical miles south of Crete, as reported by a regional Greek radio station. Less than 100 people live on Gavdos. The island has practically no capacity to accommodate so many migrants. The people who have arrived are therefore being brought to Crete as soon as possible.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), almost 2,482 migrants have arrived on Crete since the beginning of the year and up to August 18. In total, a good 25,500 migrants have arrived in Greece by sea and around 4,000 by land in 2024.
