Greek Island Sees Migration Spike

A new, perilous migration route has emerged, with Crete becoming the primary entry point to Greece for migrants departing from eastern Libya. In 2025, approximately 20,000 migrants arrived on the island, a threefold increase from the previous year. This is a dramatic surge from the 860 arrivals recorded in 2023. The journey from the Libyan coast, often from Tobruk, to Crete is a dangerous 350-kilometer (220-mile) crossing of the open sea. Smugglers use overcrowded, barely seaworthy vessels for a trip that can cost up to $5,000 per person. This route is considered one of Europe's deadliest migration corridors. Many boats first land on the tiny island of Gavdos, located south of Crete, which has a year-round population of fewer than 70 people. The islet is overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle the influx, necessitating the immediate transfer of migrants to Crete, which itself is struggling to cope with strained reception facilities. The majority of people making this journey are from Egypt, Bangladesh, and Sudan. This marks a shift from traditional migration patterns to Greece, which historically originated from Turkey. This new route is seen as a way to bypass the EU-Turkey agreement that allows for returns from other Greek islands. This surge comes as the EU prepares to implement its "New Pact on Migration and Asylum" by June 2026. The pact aims to create stricter border screening, faster deportations, and a "mandatory solidarity mechanism" for all member states to share responsibility for asylum seekers. In response to the spike, the EU's border agency, Frontex, is increasing its use of aerial surveillance, employing assets like the Heron 2 drone to monitor the sea between Libya and Crete. While Frontex's mandate involves surveillance and alerting national authorities to boats in distress, it relies on those national bodies to conduct rescue operations.