202 rescued from Greece coast, most from Bangladesh-Sudan

Greek authorities have reported that at least 202 migrants have been rescued from the coast of Crete, most of them are citizens of Bangladesh and Sudan.

Some Egyptian are also among them. 

The report was published by Middle East Monitor, citing the Greek local newspaper Dimokratia.

According to reports, the migrants were brought to the coast of the Greek island of Crete aboard several boats that had departed from the Libyan coast. At least 202 migrants arrived in southern Crete within less than 48 hours, driving pressure on the island’s authorities.

On Thursday morning (August 6), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, detected another boat southeast of Ierapetra. One of its aircraft first see the migrants. There were 40 migrants aboard the boat.

A coast guard patrol team later brought the migrants to the port of Ierapetra with assistance from a fishing boat. Registration and identity-verification procedures then initiated. Few hours earlier, 112 migrants had been rescued from two other boats. 

The first boat was carrying 56 people, including 31 Sudanese and 25 Bangladeshis. The second boat was also carrying 56 people, including 47 Bangladeshis and nine Egyptians.

As migrant arrivals have increased on Crete, all the migrants have been transferred to a temporary accommodation facility at the port of Heraklion. The facility is still being used to receive newly arrived migrants on the island.

Meanwhile, Greek authorities said they had arrested a 16-year-old South Sudanese national on suspicion of involvement in migrant smuggling. He is suspected of being involved in the smuggling of 50 migrants who had previously been rescued 28.5 nautical miles southwest of Ierapetra.

According to information provided by the migrants, the teenager allegedly piloted the boat from the Libyan city of Tobruk toward Greece.