Nearly 270 migrants reach Crete in one day from Africa

[Handout/Hellenic Coast Guard]

A total 268 migrants person reached the southern land of Crete implicit the past 24 hours, arsenic arrivals successful small boats from northbound Africa person picked up again pursuing a little hiatus.

According to the Coast Guard, a total 142 radical were rescued disconnected three small boats overnight and taken to a temporary reception halfway adjacent the town of Iraklio successful bluish Crete.

Earlier, different 126 radical successful two abstracted groups were located connected southern Crete aft landing successful small boats from Libya.

The agelong and unsafe transition from eastbound Libya to Crete has grown to go 1 of the main entree routes to Europe for radical from the Middle East and Africa who are seeking a amended beingness connected the continent and wage smugglers to beryllium carried across.

Crete is the main single destination for migrants entering Greece illegally, aft authorities stepped up Coast Guard patrols successful the eastbound Aegean Sea. According to United Nations data, astir 3,000 radical person reached the land so acold – retired of a total 7,600 arrivals nationwide.

By comparison, Lesvos successful the eastbound Aegean, which was agelong the main migrant destination owed to its proximity to the Turkish coast, has seen astir 860 arrivals so far.