IERAPETRA, October 2026 — Crete migrant rescues brought at least 241 people ashore after the Hellenic Coast Guard and Frontex picked up boats in four operations off Ierapetra and Gavdos.
Reports of the operations came on Monday 12 October. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre coordinated the operations in waters south of Crete, and all of those picked up were foreign nationals in small boats.
These successive Crete migrant rescues point to continued migration pressure on Greece’s southern sea border. As a result, port authorities remain on heightened operational readiness.
Crete migrant rescues off Chrysi
In the first operation, a coast guard patrol boat found two boats carrying about 77 people. They were south of Chrysi, a small island off Ierapetra in eastern Crete.
Officers then took the group to the port of Ierapetra.
Two more boats appeared about 15 nautical miles south-east of Chrysi. Initially, a Frontex drone spotted a boat with 52 people on board.
A coast guard patrol boat later picked them up.
Shortly afterwards, another Frontex drone located a second boat at the same distance from the island. As a result, a coast guard patrol boat returned to the area and picked up 67 people.
Crews took both groups to Ierapetra, while weather conditions in the area were good.
Greek City Times reported in September that 235 people were found or rescued in four separate incidents across southern Crete.
Operation south of Gavdos
At the same time, a Frontex aircraft spotted a boat carrying about 45 people. It was 23 nautical miles south of Gavdos, Greece’s southernmost island.
A vessel from the European agency moved into the area and took the passengers on board. It then carried them to the port of Paleochora, in south-western Crete.
During that operation, westerly winds of force 4 on the Beaufort scale blew in the area.
In total, the four Crete migrant rescues brought at least 241 people to Ierapetra and Paleochora.
Source: Ta Nea
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