Newsflash from Monday, 20 October 2025: And the week starts, of course, with … Over 150 migrants were rescued in three separate operations off southern Crete and Gavdos. The Hellenic Coast Guard, assisted by Frontex, carried out the missions amid rising migration flows in the region.
In a dramatic series of rescue missions south of Crete, Greek Coast Guard units successfully saved more than 150 migrants in three separate operations carried out between late Sunday night and early Monday morning.
According to reports from Neakriti.gr, two coordinated search-and-rescue operations took place approximately 44 nautical miles south of Kaloi Limenes and 35 nautical miles further south, while a third group of migrants reached Gavdos Island independently by boat.
Operation 1:
Fifty-nine individuals were rescued south of the Heraklion region under favorable weather conditions. They were safely transferred to the port of Kaloi Limenes.
Operation 2:
A second group of 51 migrants was located south of Rethymno and transported to the port of Agia Galini, from where they were later moved to Rethymno for processing and care.
The mission involved a Hellenic Coast Guard open-sea vessel, two nearby ships, and a Frontex drone supporting aerial surveillance.
Operation 3:
In the early morning hours, 46 migrants—including 8 Egyptians, 36 Sudanese, and 2 Palestinians—arrived on Gavdos Island using a small boat. They were later transferred to Chora Sfakion and then by bus to Agyia, Chania for registration and humanitarian support.
Speaking to local radio station 98.4 FM, Giorgos Sfakianakis, President of the Eastern Crete Coast Guard Union, emphasized that the southern waters of Crete pose extreme challenges for rescue operations due to long distances from ports, strong winds, and rough seas.
Sfakianakis also revealed that while around 5,100 migrants crossed the maritime zone south of Crete in 2024, the number could reach 25,000 by the end of 2025, marking a sharp increase in migration flows through the region.
He stressed that the migration issue is not only a national matter but primarily a European one, calling for more resources and personnel to ensure both migrant safety and the protection of rescue crews.
76 Migrants Rescued South of Gavdos in Saturday Nighttime Coast Guard Operation
A coordinated rescue mission unfolded late Saturday evening when the Hellenic Coast Guard located and safely rescued 76 migrants from a vessel drifting 32 nautical miles south of Gavdos, Greece’s southernmost island.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, the migrants were discovered by an open-sea patrol vessel during a routine surveillance operation in the area. The rescue effort was carried out under challenging nighttime conditions, with strong winds and limited visibility.
All 76 individuals were safely brought aboard the Coast Guard vessel and are currently being transported to the port of Paleochora, in southwestern Crete, where they will receive medical checks, food, and temporary accommodation.
Authorities have not yet released details about the migrants’ nationalities or the vessel’s point of departure, but initial reports suggest that the boat may have been en route from North Africa toward southern Europe.
This latest incident adds to a growing number of migrant arrivals and rescues in the southern maritime zone of Crete. Over the past month, multiple operations have taken place near Gavdos and Paleochora, as the island continues to experience a surge in migration routes shifting from the central to the eastern Mediterranean.
Local officials have praised the Coast Guard’s swift response and professionalism, emphasizing the urgent need for additional resources to manage the increasing number of maritime rescues in the region.
Source: Creta Times
