File photo.
More than 50 undocumented migrants were rescued from a vessel off the southern coast of Crete on Wednesday, Greek authorities said.
The migrant boat was spotted by a Greek Coast Guard vessel 57 nautical miles (105 kilometers) southeast of Kaloi Limenes, a port village in the Iraklio regional unit, with assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle operated by the European Union border agency Frontex.
The rescue operation was coordinated by Greece’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center. The migrants were transferred to the port of Kokkinos Pyrgos, where authorities began procedures to identify and register them.
Southern Crete has seen a significant increase in irregular migration arrivals in recent months, with many boats departing from the coast of Libya. The rise in arrivals has prompted frequent rescue operations by the Greek Coast Guard and Frontex.
