Out of 539 migrants rescued from a fishing vessel off the coast of Gavdos, south of Crete, 437 have been identified as Bangladeshi nationals, according to the local Hellenic Coast Guard (Limenarchio).
The Rescue Operation
A spokesperson for the Greek Coast Guard told AFP that a patrol boat from Frontex, the European Union's border agency, spotted the vessel early Friday (December 19) in the Libyan Sea near the small island of Gavdos. While the exact point of departure remains unconfirmed, authorities are currently conducting registration and identification processes under the supervision of the Hellenic Coast Guard.
According to official reports, the rescued group consists primarily of men, though it includes four women and two children. Kyriakos Pattakos, the Coast Guard Chief in Rethymno, stated that registration is complete. The primary focus has now shifted to identifying human trafficking syndicates and coordinating the swift transfer of the migrants.
Local Infrastructure Strained
The sudden arrival of such a large group has put significant pressure on local resources. Yiorgos Skordilis, the Deputy Mayor of Rethymno for Civil Protection, noted that the municipality lacks the infrastructure to manage these numbers.
"Local administration is under pressure due to a lack of coordination with the central government," Skordilis remarked.
Following emergency discussions, officials decided that 300 migrants will be relocated today, Monday, while the remaining individuals are scheduled for transfer next week.
Demographics and Route
A breakdown of the nationalities involved reveals:
- Bangladesh: 437
- Pakistan: 46
- Egypt: 34
- Eritrea: 12 (including 4 women and 2 children)
- Somalia: 5
- Others: Citizens of Sudan, Yemen, and Palestine.
Authorities believe the group embarked on a perilous 36-hour sea journey from eastern Libya, facilitated by human traffickers.
Diplomatic Response
When contacted regarding the incident, Nahida Rahman Shumona, the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Greece, stated that the embassy has not yet been formally notified of the situation by Greek authorities.
This incident follows a separate rescue on Thursday, where Frontex saved 65 men and 5 women from two distressed vessels off the same coast.
