Officials reported that a total of 830 refugees and migrants were rescued in a series of operations south of the Greek island of Crete in recent days.
Greek media stated that around 400 individuals were rescued just on Friday, in operations that involved fishing boats and patrol vessels belonging to the Greek Coast Guard and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
The Greek Coast Guard noted that dozens of people were on board the boats, with some cases involving more than 100 individuals, including minors.
The individuals had departed from Tobruk in Libya, paying hefty sums for a perilous journey spanning 300 kilometers across open sea, according to the authorities. Several individuals were arrested on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking.
The Coast Guard reported that Crete has already recorded over 18,000 refugees arriving this year, compared to about 5,000 last year.
