Authorities in Greece carried out three separate rescue operations within a 24-hour period, bringing 165 migrants in the seas off Gavdos and Kalamata to safety. The Hellenic Coast Guard and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) coordinated the missions.
In the first two incidents south of Gavdos, a total of 126 people were rescued from inflatable boats. In one case, the migrants were initially picked up by a Malta-flagged tanker and later transferred to a Coast Guard vessel of Greece that brought them to the port of Gavdos. The second rescue involved both a Coast Guard patrol boat and an asset from the European border agency Frontex.
A third incident occurred late last night, when approximately 39 people aboard a dinghy were located 58 nautical miles south of Kalamata. Their rescue was also overseen by the JRCC, with the assistance of a Coast Guard vessel, and the group was safely transported to the port of Kalamata.
Greece unveils deterrence strategy amid rising irregular migrant flows
The rescues come as Greece tightens its migration framework under new measures announced by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris.
The government has:
- suspended asylum applications for sea arrivals from North Africa.
- introduced prison terms of up to five years for migrants remaining after rejected claims unless they agree to deportation.
- mandated electronic monitoring, requiring migrants awaiting deportation to wear ankle bracelets.
- cut benefits and allowances at reception centers, reducing costs for food and stipends.
- extended detention periods up to 18–24 months in closed facilities.
- revised age rules, lowering the legal threshold for unaccompanied boys to 16 and requiring medical verification of age.
Plevris described the approach as a “disincentive phase” aimed at curbing dangerous crossings while aligning with European migration policy. The measures, however, have already sparked criticism from rights groups, who warn they risk undermining international protection standards.
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