Newsflash from Thursday, 2 October 2025.
A new migrant rescue operation unfolded south of Gavdos on Thursday, when a group of 33 people in distress contacted the Greek coast guard through the European emergency number 112.
According to initial reports, the migrants were located about 30 nautical miles south of the island. A patrol vessel from the Agia Galini Coast Guard Station was immediately dispatched to the scene. The group managed to reach the shore safely with the assistance of authorities.
Later today, the migrants are expected to be transferred first to Gavdos, and then on to Sfakia via the scheduled ferry service.
This latest incident comes amid a series of recent migrant arrivals in Crete. On October 1, 58 people were rescued from a remote beach west of Gavdos, leading to the arrest of a 19‑year‑old Sudanese man identified as their alleged smuggler. Just days earlier, on September 28, another 21 migrants were rescued near the islet of Agios Pavlos, where a 32‑year‑old Sudanese man was arrested on similar charges.
Authorities continue to investigate the smuggling routes believed to originate from Tobruk, Libya, as Crete increasingly becomes a landing point for migrant crossings in the region.
