Greek Coast Guard Rescues Over 600 Migrants South of Crete, Gavdos

Over 600 migrants were rescued from two overcrowded wooden fishing vessels off southern Greece, near the islands of Gavdos and Crete, highlighting the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. The first vessel carried 352 people and was rescued south of Gavdos, while the second carried 278 people south of Crete, with additional smaller groups rescued nearby, including 73 men from a boat near Gavdos. The migrants, originating largely from North Africa and the Middle East, reportedly paid smugglers thousands of euros for the dangerous journey from Libya, with some survivors identifying boat operators arrested on suspicion of trafficking. Greek authorities, supported by the EU border agency Frontex and commercial ships, have been intensifying patrols amid a sharp rise in arrivals, with over 60,000 migrants landing in Greece last year and increasing numbers so far in 2025. The government is seeking a more equitable distribution of asylum seekers within the EU and opposes plans by Germany to return refugees to Greece if they have already applied for asylum there. These developments underscore Greece's critical role as a gateway to Europe for people fleeing conflict and hardship, as well as the challenges posed by longer and more perilous sea routes chosen by traffickers.