A fishing boat transporting almost 300 migrants to Europe successfully arrived at a southern Greek island following a significant rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea, as confirmed by Greek authorities on Monday. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of injuries or health issues among the 283 migrants on board, according to the coast guard.
The coast guard initiated a search early Monday morning after receiving information that a migrant vessel had been affected by strong winds south of Crete. The operation involved two coast guard vessels, four merchant ships, and two smaller private boats. Ultimately, the migrant boat was located 18 nautical miles (20 miles) south of Gavdos, a small island off southern Crete. The fishing boat managed to reach the port of Gavdos under its own power, allowing the migrants to safely disembark.
Details regarding the nationalities of the migrants or their point of departure were not immediately available. Gavdos has recently emerged as a key destination for migrant boats making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean from eastern Libya. Typically, individuals from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, seeking improved prospects in Europe, pay substantial sums to smugglers for passage on these hazardous and overcrowded vessels.
In a tragic incident in June 2023, a dilapidated trawler carrying an estimated 750 individuals from Tobruk in eastern Libya to Italy sank off southwestern Greece, resulting in hundreds feared dead. Only 104 passengers survived, with 82 bodies being recovered.
The coast guard indicated that the migrants who arrived at Gavdos on Monday would be transported to southern Crete and subsequently taken to the western port town of Chania for further processing.
