A fishing boat carrying nearly 300 migrants has safely reached the southern Greek island of Gavdos after a large rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Greek authorities. The vessel, carrying 283 migrants, encountered high winds south of Crete, prompting a rescue operation early Monday. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of injuries or ill health among the migrants.
The Greek coast guard launched a search operation after receiving a notification about the vessel in distress. The operation involved two coast guard vessels, four merchant ships, and two smaller private boats. The migrant vessel was located 18 nautical miles south of Gavdos. Despite the challenging conditions, the fishing boat managed to reach Gavdos port using its own engines, where the migrants safely disembarked.
Details about the nationalities of the migrants or their departure point were not immediately available. Gavdos, a small island off southern Crete, has recently become a significant destination for migrant boats crossing the Mediterranean from eastern Libya. Migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia often pay thousands of dollars to smugglers for a spot on these dangerous, overcrowded vessels in hopes of reaching Europe for a better life.
In a tragic incident in June 2023, a rusty trawler carrying an estimated 750 people from Tobruk in eastern Libya to Italy sank off southwestern Greece, leaving hundreds feared drowned. Only 104 passengers survived, and 82 bodies were recovered. Following their arrival in Gavdos, the migrants were transported to southern Crete and then taken to the western port town of Chania.