A group of over 75 migrants on a sailing boat was rescued by a cruise ship off the coast of Pylos early Tuesday morning. The Greek coast guard coordinated the rescue operation. They directed a Maltese-flagged cruise ship to pick up the distressed migrants from the sailing yacht. Reports indicate there were between 75 and 77 people on board. The yacht was found about 207 kilometers off the southwestern coast of Greece.
The migrants were safely transported to the Greek port town of Kalamata. According to the Associated Press, there were no reports of missing persons. This rescue took place near the site of a tragic migrant shipwreck in June 2023, where an overcrowded fishing boat from Libya sank off Pylos. Only 104 people survived that incident, though it is believed that more than 700 people were on board, most of whom were never found.
Migrants often take dangerous routes from Turkey around Greece to reach Italy. On Monday, the Greek coast guard reported locating 21 migrants and arresting their smuggler after a chase on the island of Symi. They discovered a speed boat “disembarking people near the bay of Marathountas, Symi.” The coast guard pursued the speed boat, which made dangerous maneuvers and attempted to ram the patrol craft. After firing warning shots, the authorities targeted the boat’s engine, causing it to decelerate and eventually overturn. The driver, needing medical treatment, was transferred to Rhodes.
On the island of Samos, another similar event occurred. The coast guard intercepted a high-speed vessel coming from the Turkish coast. The operator did not comply with instructions to stop, resulting in a chase and his arrest. The coast guard found 17 people on board, including 12 men and five women, who were then taken to a closed facility on Samos. The pilot, an 18-year-old foreigner, was arrested and the boat was confiscated.
In another incident, the Turkish coast guard rescued 59 migrants from the Aegean, claiming that 23 had been pushed back by the Greek coast guard. Among them were ten children. The Greek authorities deny these allegations, stating they always act within international and European human rights conventions.