Name: Over 1,000 migrants have arrived in Crete in December
Uploaded: 2025-12-20T16:07:31.547Z
Duration: 1 min 2 s
Description: There have been hundreds of arrivals at the Greek island in the last 24 hours.

There have been hundreds of arrivals at the Greek island in the last 24 hours.

Crete

Crete has experienced a notable increase in migrant arrivals, with more than 1,000 people reaching the island in December. Greek port authorities, assisted by Frontex, rescued 545 migrants off the coast of Gavdos and conducted additional operations overnight.

Since the beginning of the previous year, nearly 40,000 people have entered Greece illegally by the end of October, marking an 18% decrease compared to 2024. Spain and Italy have also reported fewer arrivals, attributed to heightened surveillance and stricter migration policies. Libyan smugglers are increasingly targeting Crete and Gavdos due to favorable weather and proximity.

Over 1,000 migrants have arrived in Crete in December

Crete continues to experience strong migratory pressure, with hundreds of people arriving at the Greek island in the last 24 hours. 545 migrants were spotted off the coast of neighboring Gavdos on Friday. They were rescued by Greek port authorities with the assistance of Frontex and transported to Crete. A few hours later, two different migrant rescue operations took place overnight. It is estimated that in December alone, more than 1,000 migrants arrived on the coast of Crete. Since the beginning of last year, nearly 40,000 people had entered Greece illegally by the end of October, a decrease of 18% compared to 2024. Both Spain and Italy have also seen a decrease in arrivals this year, partly because of increased surveillance and a tightening of migration policies. For Libyan smugglers, Crete and Gavdos seem to be the new preferred destinations, due to improved weather conditions and proximity.

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