ATHENS, Greece — In recent days, Greek officials reported that over 170 migrants have been rescued from unstable boats, most of which were located off the southern coast of the country. This increase appears to indicate a growing trend among traffickers using this particular route to transport migrants.

On Wednesday, the Greek coast guard informed the public that a Philippines-flagged tanker had saved 29 individuals from a boat that was approximately 65 nautical miles (120 kilometers or 75 miles) south of Crete. Additionally, another 45 migrants were rescued during the night by a cargo vessel from the Marshall Islands, located 42 nautical miles (78 kilometers or 49 miles) south of the small island of Gavdos.

On Tuesday, a patrol boat encountered a speedboat carrying migrants near Tilos, an eastern island. The chase ended with the driver running the boat aground on a beach, according to the coast guard. After conducting a foot patrol, authorities found a total of 31 individuals, which included seven children and four women. A 37-year-old Moldovan man was arrested as the suspected driver of the vessel.

Earlier in the week, specifically on Monday, authorities discovered another 68 migrants in two distinct incidents on Crete and Gavdos. A group consisting of 19 men and one boy was found just after disembarking from a wooden boat on the southern shores of Crete, while an additional 48 men were located on Gavdos. In both scenarios, the migrants reported that they had departed from Tobruk, Libya, en route to Greece.

For many years, Greece has served as a primary entry point into the European Union for those escaping conflict and poverty in regions like the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. There has been a noticeable surge in arrivals from neighboring Turkey and the Libyan coastline over the last year. In 2024, Greece registered over 60,000 migrant arrivals, predominantly via sea, in contrast to just over 48,000 in the previous year.

While a majority of migrants typically make their way to the eastern Greek islands from the nearby Turkish shores, authorities have noted that an increasing number are now opting for the dangerous 300-kilometer (200-mile) sea voyage from the Libyan coast to reach the islands of Crete and Gavdos.