ATHENS – A total of 105 people have been rescued at sea in Greece on Friday and Saturday as the rise in attempted border crossings via boats continues to trouble the Greek authorities.
The Greek coast guard transferred 69 people from the Ionian Sea on Saturday near the island of Zakynthos to the port of Kalamata, which followed swiftly from another incident on Friday whereby another 36 people were pulled from the Aegean Sea close to Neapolis in the Laconia area of the south peloponnese.
According to the coast guard, the 69 migrants transferred to Kalamata in southern Greece were rescued by a cargo ship in the Ionian Sea area 25 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos, when the sailboat they were on sank.
Among the 69 migrants, 61 are Iranian nationals (33 men, 12 women, 11 boys and five girls), two Afghan nationals (one man and a boy) and six Turkish nationals, all men.
This incident came hot on the heels of another rescue of 36 migrants, who were on board a sailing vessel which had a mechanical breakdown and was half-submerged in hte water southwest of Neapolis, Laconia. According to information released by the Greek Coast Guard, a patrol boat was notified of the stricken vessel’s presence and responded immediately, rounding up a total of 36 people of various nationalities, of which 14 were men, 11 women and 11 minors (6 girls and 5 boys) and transported them to the port of Neapolis Voion.
A preliminary investigation is being carried out by the Port Authority, while the rescued were safely transferred to the Reception Center of the Municipality of Monemvasia.
These two incidents are just the latest in a long line of similar occurrences that have taken place over the course of the summer with thousands of migrants attempting to enter Europe via Greece’s sea and land borders. Indeed, Greek officials have announced that as part of new, increased security measures, they will extend the fence along the northeastern border with Turkey, where there has been a lot of activity in recent weeks.
Greece also plans to boost its border patrol force with extra boats and aircraft for its coast guard in the eastern Aegean Sea, as well as install new electronic monitoring devices.
Greece will gradually extend a fence along its border with Turkey and bolster surveillance mechanisms to counter the increasing number of migrants from crossing over, the Greek government said on Tuesday (August 23) following a meeting of the council for foreign affairs and defense. A government statement said the meeting – held between top immigration, security and military officials and chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis – discussed “the problem of increased pressure for illegal entry, both along the land border and along the sea border” in the eastern Aegean Sea. Greece has already built a 40-kilometer (25-mile) fence in the area of the Evros River, also known as Maritsa and Meriç, along the northeastern land border. The government plans to extend the fence by 220 kilometers.
Athens also said it would boost its border patrol force with additional boats and aircraft for its coast guard monitoring the eastern Aegean Sea. New electronic monitoring devices are also to be installed. The announcement comes at a time Greek authorities are reporting rising numbers of migrants crossing its land border along the Evros River.
Greece has repeatedly accused Ankara of sending thousands of migrants who live in Turkey into Greece, charging that migrants arriving in Greece claim that they were forced across the border by Turkish security guards. Athens has also accused Ankara of encouraging illegal immigration by sea of migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who try to reach the Greek islands.
Human rights organizations, meanwhile, accuse Athens of supporting illegal pushbacks along both its land and sea borders with Turkey.
More migrants rescued at sea in Greece in the weekend – General news
