Accra: Nearly 540 migrants crammed on a sailing boat were rescued early Friday south of the island of Crete, the Greek coastguard said. The rescue operation took place near the small island of Gavdos in the Libyan Sea, involving a patrol vessel from the EU border agency Frontex.
According to Nam News Network, the rescued individuals included nationals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, and the Palestinian territories. The Greek coastguard spokeswoman stated that the migrants would first be taken to the Cretan city of Rethymno. As per standard EU procedures, all rescued individuals will undergo health checks before their asylum claims are processed.
The port from which the migrants' boat set sail remains unclear. Migrants have been attempting to reach Crete from Libya over the past year as a route into the European Union. The Greek coastguard continues to monitor and respond to such incidents as part of ongoing efforts to manage migration in the region.