A new wave of migrant arrivals was recorded at dawn south of Crete and Gavdos, with the Coast Guard – Greek Coast Guard and FRONTEX forces conducting four successive operations to locate and rescue a total of 202 foreigners in different sea points in the area.
According to the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard, in the first incident a dinghy was spotted by an aerial vehicle of the FRONTEX force in a sea area 53 nautical miles south-southwest of Ierapetra. 44 foreigners were subsequently rescued by a Coast Guard watercraft, while those rescued are being transported to the port of Kales Limenoi.
Some time later, a second dinghy was spotted by FRONTEX airborne assets in a sea area 37 nautical miles south of Kales Limeni. According to the coastguard, 60 foreigners were picked up by a floating Corps vessel and also taken to Kalou Limenes.
In a third incident, a FRONTEX force vessel located and rescued 35 foreigners in a dinghy in a sea area 30 nautical miles south of Gavdos. The foreigners were transported to the port of Gavdos
In the fourth incident, FRONTEX air assets detected a dinghy 16 nautical miles south of Gavdos. A FRONTEX force vessel intercepted 63 foreigners, who are being transported to the port of Gavdos.
According to the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard, the operations were completed safely, while the competent authorities are proceeding with the planned procedures of registration and identification of the rescued persons.
