Over 600 migrants rescued from two fishing boats off southern Greece

Published connected 20/06/2025 - 14:27 GMT+2•Updated 14:28

More than 600 migrants were rescued overnight and into Friday greeting from 2 overcrowded woody sportfishing vessels recovered adrift disconnected nan southernmost portion of Greece, nan Greek seashore defender has said.

The first vessel, carrying 352 people, was located astir 55 kilometres (35 miles) southbound of Gavdos, a mini Greek island. 

The passengers were rescued by a alloy from nan EU’s separator agency Frontex, supported by a seashore defender patrol vessel and 4 further ships.

A further 278 group were discovered connected a 2nd vessel astir 90 kilometres (60 miles) southbound of Crete. 

Those aboard were transferred onto a passing Portuguese-flagged cargo ship.

In some instances, nan migrants were taken to Crete for processing. The authorities person not yet disclosed nan nationalities of nan rescued individuals.

Two further migrant boats were located successful nan aforesaid parts of nan Mediterranean connected Thursday. One was discovered carrying 73 men southbound of Gavdos, while nan other, recovered adjacent Crete’s confederate coast, had 26 group connected board, including a female and 3 children.

Passengers from nan smaller of these 2 vessels said they had departed from Tobruk, Libya, nan nighttime before, each reportedly paying smugglers €4,000 for nan perilous journey, according to nan Greek seashore guard.

Two Sudanese teenagers, aged 16 and 19, were arrested connected suspicion of migrant trafficking aft passengers identified them arsenic nan boat’s operators.

Greece continues to beryllium a cardinal introduction constituent to nan EU for group escaping conflict and hardship successful nan Middle East, Africa and Asia. 

Arrivals surged past year, pinch complete 60,000 migrants landing successful Greece — nan mostly by oversea — compared to astir 48,000 successful 2023, according to UN exile agency data. 

By mid-June 2025, Greece had recorded 16,290 arrivals, complete 14,600 of which were by sea.

With Greek authorities stepping up patrols on nan eastbound maritime separator pinch Turkey, traffickers look to beryllium progressively choosing nan longer and much vulnerable way crossed nan Mediterranean from North Africa, utilizing larger boats tin of carrying much people.