The Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos have seen a steep rise in migrant boats landing on their shores from Libya this year.
UN data shows, piling pressure on ill-equipped authorities and raising fears of a new smuggling route in the Mediterranean Sea.
More than 1,075 migrants – mostly from Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan – have arrived on the islands this year, up from 860 in the whole of 2023, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.
Greece has been a favoured gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia since 2015 when nearly 1 million people landed on its islands, causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Thousands of others died at sea.
Crete and its tiny neighbour Gavdos, which are relatively isolated in the central Mediterranean, had until now not been favoured by migrants over other islands further east near Turkey.
Most migrant arrivals to Europe this year have been to Spain, followed by Greece and Italy, according to U.N. data. Historically, boats that leave Libya in north Africa generally have gone to Italy.
