Greek Coast Guard units, in coordination with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), rescued more than 120 migrants off the coast of Gavdos island in two separate operations early Monday.
The first rescue involved 68 migrants spotted near Gavdos, who were transferred to the island’s port by a joint Coast Guard–Frontex vessel. Shortly after, another 58 migrants were found aboard a Malta-flagged oil tanker sailing nearby. They were taken by Greek authorities to the island of Sfakia.
According to Eleni Zervoudaki, deputy mayor of Chania in Crete, the southern region of Agia—after a 12-day lull—has once again begun receiving waves of migrants arriving from the Mediterranean. Gavdos, a tiny island with a population of around 70, and Crete, Greece’s largest island, have become key landing points for migrants crossing over 250 kilometers from eastern Libya.
Vasilis Katsikandierakis, head of the Coast Guard Association in western Crete, attributed the recent surge to improved weather conditions following weeks of rough seas. He noted that while the current flow appears manageable, the operational burden remains high, with personnel required to transport migrants to temporary shelters, detention facilities, and hospitals when needed.
Zervoudaki highlighted a growing logistical strain: the transfer of migrants to mainland Greece is no longer immediate due to recent changes by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, including a three-month suspension of asylum processing enacted in July. She explained that the responsibility now lies with the police, who face staffing shortages, leaving local municipalities like Chania to host hundreds of migrants for extended periods.
“Imagine having 900 people in Agia for 15 days,” she said. “It’s overwhelming, for us and port authorities tasked with security.”
Local activists and humanitarian groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the conditions migrants endure on Crete before being relocated to mainland detention centers. The situation underscores the mounting pressure on Greece’s southern islands as migration routes shift and intensify.
