A search for missing migrants continued south of Gavdos on Monday, September 14, after a boat partially sank on Sunday, leaving one person dead and 51 rescued. Survivors said 77 people had been aboard, according to Greek Coast Guard information.
The boat was traveling from Libya toward Greece, when it took on water. The Coast Guard placed the rescue site approximately 75 kilometers (47 miles) south of Crete.
Search Continues South of Gavdos
Approximately 25 people remained missing based on survivors’ accounts,. The exact number remained unconfirmed.
Commercial vessels helped rescue passengers during the initial response. Greek Coast Guard and Frontex vessels joined the operation, with aerial support dispatched to search the surrounding waters.
The 51 survivors were transferred to accommodation in Agia, near Chania on Crete, according to local news outlet Cretalive. Search efforts continued through the night and into Monday.
The available reports did not establish what caused the boat to take on water or identify its exact departure point in Libya.
The Growing Libya–Crete Migration Route
The emergency occurred along a Mediterranean crossing that has brought increasing numbers of migrants from Libya toward southern Greece. Crete and neighboring Gavdos were previously less frequently reached than the eastern Aegean islands near Turkey, which were central to Greece’s migration crisis in 2015.
Evidence of the shift was already clear in early 2024. On March 13 that year, Reuters reported, citing UN refugee agency figures, that more than 1,075 migrants had arrived on Crete and Gavdos since January—exceeding the 860 recorded throughout 2023.
UNHCR’s spokesperson in Greece said at the time that most boats making the journey appeared to be heading directly toward the Greek islands, rather than reaching them after accidental detours. Historically, boats departing Libya had generally traveled toward Italy.
The increase was already straining Gavdos’ limited resources in 2024. Mayor Lilian Stefanaki told Reuters that the island had about 60 permanent residents and struggled to provide food and supplies for new arrivals. Migrants were sheltering in an abandoned building while awaiting transfer to Crete.
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