The Greek Coast Guard announced on Sunday the rescue of hundreds of migrants off the southern islands of Gavdos and Crete, as part of five separate operations conducted since Friday.
According to Reuters, the Coast Guard stated that over 430 migrants were detected and rescued on Sunday, approximately 25 nautical miles from Gavdos Island, located in Greece’s southernmost reaches.
In a separate incident also occurring on Sunday, the Coast Guard reported that the European Union’s border agency, Frontex, rescued 96 migrants aboard two boats off the coast of Crete. These migrants are now being transported to Crete, which is Greece’s largest and most populous island.
Athens had previously announced last month its intention to deploy two frigates near Libyan territorial waters to help stem the flow of migrants. It also urged Libya to cooperate more closely with Greece and the European Union to prevent migrants from departing from there, or to return them before they exit Libyan territorial waters.
In a related context, a Greek media outlet on Sunday published footage showing dozens of migrants jumping from a speedboat into the water before reaching the shores of southern Crete.
