ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Nearly 140 migrants have reached Greek coasts in the past 24 hours, making the perilous sea journey across the Mediterranean Sea, authorities said Friday. One man, who had sailed from North Africa, drowned off the southern island of Crete.
Greece, along with Spain and Italy, is an important entry point for people from the Middle East or Africa looking for a better life in the European Union. To reach the Greek coast, most make the risky crossing in flimsy boats from neighboring Turkey or Libya.
The Greek coast guard said 34 men and three boys were rescued on Thursday by a passing merchant ship some 83 nautical miles (95 miles) south of Crete after issuing a distress signal.
Another man who had been on the boat fell into the sea and drowned on Friday, according to a Coast Guard statement, according to other survivors and the ship’s captain. All survivors were taken to Crete. They told authorities they had left eastern Libya on Tuesday.
Also Thursday, authorities found 51 men, eight women and 19 children on a beach near Monemvassia in southeastern mainland Greece. It was unclear where they came from, but the area is on a smuggling route from Turkey to Greece or Italy.
In separate incidents on Thursday and Friday, authorities arrested 22 people from an islet off the southeastern island of Symi. The coast guard said they had paid smugglers to take them across from nearby Turkey.
So far this year, almost 16,000 people have reached Greece, mainly by sea. In 2023 there were more than 48,000 arrivals.
Spain has received the highest number of migrants and refugees in the EU so far this year with more than 21,000 arrivals, according to United Nations data.
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