Illegal migrants hoping to get to Greece are opting increasingly for longer routes, involving Turkey and elsewhere, by targeting areas where Coast Guard patrols are—for now—more relaxed.
Authorities detained 76 migrants on the southern Greek island of Crete in the early hours of Tuesday, August 20th, after they arrived on just three boats. That’s an average of 25 migrants per boat.
The groups—including six children—had travelled from Syria, Egypt, Sudan, and Bangladesh.
Local media reports that one boat arriving in recent days was carrying a total of 72 people.
More than 28,000 illegal migrants have arrived in Greece so far this year, according to official figures—and that’s after a reported easing of crossings. The figure puts Greece just behind Italy and Spain.
Thousands of these migrants will use Greece as a stepping stone to the rest of Europe. However, some analysts have noted in recent years that “for many refugees in the country, Greece represents a new home”—spreading thin the public services available there.
The Greek government may now set up state-funded processing centres on Crete to help local authorities cope with migrants being smuggled in using this new route. This could likewise prompt concerns of resources being overstrained, since previously popular routes remain active, too.
Those who arrived on the island of Crete are likely to be detained for processing, after which they will be able to apply for asylum while waiting in refugee camps.
