Greece detains 1,200 migrants in three days as arrivals from Libya surge
[July 08, 2025]
By ELENA BECATOROS
GAVDOS, Greece (AP) — 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.
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.

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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. (AP Photo/Elena Becatoros)

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.
“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.
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