Greek authorities on Saturday reported the rescue of 174 migrants, intercepted in two separate operations in the sea south of Gavdos. In a comment on the social media platform X, Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris stressed that they will not be allowed to apply for asylum but remain in police custody until they can be returned.
"The illegal immigrants who entered from Libya in recent hours were arrested by the coast guard. They do not have the right to apply for asylum, they will not be taken to reception centers, but will be held in police custody until the process of their return is initiated. The Ministry of Migration is supporting the entire effort and is setting up additional detention spaces within its facilities," Plevris said, writing in English.
The first group of 117 migrants were were found aboard two inflatable boats approximately 25 nautical miles south of Gavdos and were rescued by a Panama-flagged tanker sailing in the area. They were then safely transferred to a Hellenic Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel and transported to the port of Souda, Crete in an extensive search and rescue operation under the coordination of the Hellenic Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC).
In a separate incident, an additional 57 migrants were located in the sea surrounding Trypiti, Gavdos. They were picked up by a vessel operated by the European border agency Frontex, in cooperation with a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat, and were being taken to Chora, Sfakia.