In the latest uptick of rising migration, the Greek Coast Guard rescued a vessel with 37 migrants off the coast of Crete.
Authorities said they were bracing for an influx of illegal entries as crossings to Crete have soared in recent months.
Data from the Greek Coast Guard show that the flow of migrants from the Egyptian and Libyan coasts to southern Crete and the small island of Gavdos has been on the rise since the end of last summer.
In the first two months of 2024 alone, 12,573 migrants were detected in the region, a stark contrast to the 666 rescued refugees and migrants recorded throughout 2023.
The increase in migrant flows to Crete is attributed to heightened maritime surveillance in the eastern Aegean, following improved cooperation between the Greek and Turkish Coast Guards. The route from North Africa to Europe is one of the most perilous, with refugees and irregular migrants traversing hundreds of miles of open sea in relatively small boats.
The majority of the rescued migrants originate from Egypt and Afghanistan, with a rising number of Palestinian refugees also making the illegal crossings.
Most of these arrivals are not recorded in Crete but on the outlying island of Gavdos, which lacks the infrastructure to receive migrants.
Migration officials say increased crossings to Crete also come as maritime surveillance in the eastern Aegean has been bolstered.