Newsflash from Sunday, 2 November 2025: Frontex and the Hellenic Coast Guard rescued 34 migrants from a boat south of Gavdos on Friday night, transferring them safely to shore.
In a coordinated nighttime rescue operation on Friday, 34 migrants were safely rescued from a small boat adrift south of Gavdos, Greece’s southernmost island.
According to a report by Cretalive, the Frontex vessel detected the boat approximately 0.7 nautical miles south of Gavdos. The operation was supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Greece.
The group—32 men and 2 women—was transferred safely to the port of Karave, Gavdos, where they received initial assistance before being moved to a temporary accommodation facility set up by the Municipality of Gavdos.
The Central Port Authority of Chania has launched a preliminary investigation into the incident, as authorities continue to address the ongoing challenges of irregular migration routes through the southern Aegean and Mediterranean regions.
This latest rescue highlights the increasing frequency of migrant crossings near Crete and Gavdos, areas that have become emerging entry points for people attempting to reach Europe by sea.
