Greek authorities have identified nearly 110 migrants in the sea areas south of the island of Crete and near the islet of Gavdos, reported Sky TV. The cases are further evidence of the ongoing increased migration flow from North Africa to Europe, BTA reports.
Two of the boats were spotted during aerial surveillance carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. One boat had 41 people on board, and the other had 42.
The first group of migrants was boarded a Greek coast guard ship and will be transported to the port of Ierapetra. The passengers from the second boat were picked up by a nearby Belizean-flagged merchant ship and will be disembarked at the port of Kali Limenes.
Earlier in the day, the coast guard found a third boat with 25 people on board about 32 nautical miles south of the island of Gavdos. They will be taken to the port of Paleochora.
Such incidents have become a daily occurrence in recent days, with the route from the Libyan coast to Crete remaining one of the busiest in the Eastern Mediterranean. More than 600 migrants arrived on the island on Thursday alone.
In response to the growing pressure, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris warned on Friday that if the trend continues, Athens could take further restrictive measures. He recalled that last year the country temporarily suspended the processing of asylum applications from migrants arriving via this route.
The Greek government is actively engaged in dialogue with both the internationally recognized authorities in Tripoli and the administration in Benghazi, in an attempt to tighten control over vessels sailing from the Libyan coast. However, so far, the efforts have not led to a significant reduction in the migration flow.