Greece detains 1,200 migrants in three days as arrivals from Libya surge
David, a migrant from South Sudan, sits at Tripiti beach with five others from a group of 68 migrants and refugees who arrived on the island of Gavdos, Greece, on Monday, July 7, 2025, as hundreds were rescued in recent days near the island and off Crete in separate incidents. Credit: AP
GAVDOS, Greece — Authorities in Greece say more than 1,200 migrants have been detained on the island of Crete and the nearby islet of Gavdos over the past three days, following a surge in arrivals from Libya.
The coast guard said multiple boats were intercepted off Crete’s southern coast from Saturday through Monday, prompting regional officials to request additional government assistance.
The uptick in arrivals coincided with a visit by Greece’s foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, to Libya for talks with both the internationally recognized government and a rival administration, amid efforts to address the growing migration crisis and a maritime boundary dispute.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said patrols by the coast guard and navy in the region are likely to be intensified. He added that approximately 8,000 migrants have reached Crete since the start of the year.
“It’s a complex and extremely serious issue. Crete and its residents are under significant strain,” Marinakis said. “We hope that all the diplomatic efforts will bear fruit. Otherwise, we will be forced to adopt stricter and far more large-scale measures to ensure the country is protected.”
Migrants typically make the 350-kilometer (220-mile) journey to Crete in unseaworthy boats — often hastily constructed to survive a single voyage or in abandoned vessels modified in scrapyards.
Gavdos, a tiny island south of Crete, has been overwhelmed by arrivals. Boats and dinghies remain washed up on its pebble beaches, many of them accessible only on foot.
A boat used by migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea is towed from Tripiti beach to the Karave the port of Gavdos, Greece, on Monday, July 7, 2025 after hundreds were rescued near the island and the island of Crete in separate incidents. Credit: AP
On one remote beach, David, a migrant from war-torn South Sudan, sat with five others as they rested to decide what to do next.
Speaking to The Associated Press, he said smugglers beat several people ahead of the sea journey and demanded more money than originally agreed.
“After you pay the money, everything is by force. If you talk, they hit you,” he said. “The boat was very dangerous — too many people.”
David, who asked to be identified only by his first name, said he hoped to stay anywhere in Europe.
Boats used by migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea are seen at Tripiti beach, Gavdos island , Greece, the southernmost point of Europe, on Monday, July 7, 2025. Credit: AP
“We didn’t come to cause a problem. We came to save our lives,” he said. “If you stay, you die.”
European Commissioner Magnus Brunner is expected to travel to Libya this week with government representatives from Greece, Italy and Malta to push for tougher action from Libyan authorities to curb migrant departures for Europe. Several municipalities on Crete appealed Monday to the government for help, noting that makeshift facilities currently being used to house migrants — including an exhibition center and a port warehouse — were unsuitable and already at overcapacity. ___ Derek Gatopoulos contributed from Athens, Greece
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
