Greek authorities have detained over 1,200 migrants on the island of Crete and the nearby islet of Gavdos over the past three days, following a sharp increase in arrivals from Libya.
The Greek coast guard reported intercepting multiple boats off Crete's southern coast between Saturday and Monday, prompting regional officials to call for additional support from the government.
The spike in arrivals comes as Greece’s Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis visited Libya for talks with both the internationally recognized government and a rival faction, seeking solutions to the escalating migration crisis and ongoing disputes over maritime boundaries.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said patrol operations by the coast guard and navy in the area will likely be strengthened. According to him, around 8,000 migrants have landed on Crete so far this year.
“This is a complex and extremely serious situation. Crete and its residents are under immense pressure,” Marinakis said. “We hope diplomatic efforts succeed. If not, we’ll have to implement stricter, large-scale measures to safeguard the country.”
Many migrants undertake the dangerous 350-kilometer (220-mile) journey from Libya to Crete in unsafe, makeshift boats, often assembled to survive a single trip or converted from abandoned vessels.
The small island of Gavdos, located south of Crete, has been overwhelmed by the influx. Stranded boats and dinghies litter its remote, pebble beaches, some accessible only on foot.
On one such beach, a migrant named David from conflict-ridden South Sudan sat with five others, resting as they considered their next steps. He told The Associated Press that smugglers mistreated many passengers during the journey and demanded extra payments.
“After you pay, everything is by force. If you speak, they beat you,” David said, describing the overcrowded and dangerous conditions on board. He expressed his hope to stay anywhere in Europe.
Australian woman convicted of killing 3 relatives by serving poisonous mushroom meal
“We didn’t come to cause problems. We came to save our lives,” he added. “If you stay [back home], you die.”
Meanwhile, European Commissioner Magnus Brunner is scheduled to visit Libya this week alongside officials from Greece, Italy, and Malta to urge Libyan authorities to step up efforts to prevent migrant departures to Europe.