Migration crisis in Crete: Hundreds of immigrants reach the south coast – The uninhabited in Chania and Gavdos

At least 200 who arrived in the last two days to the south of Chania will remain in the county until the procedures are completed in order to be transferred to structures in the rest of the country. For the increased arrivals of immigrants observed in Crete and Gavdos there is concern on the part of the Ministry of Immigration. The situation in Crete, according to Flashnews.gr. now has all the characteristics of the migration crisis with more than 1,500 arrivals since the beginning of 2024 and with the “weight” of management having fallen to the Port of the island already understaffed as from Crete sent executives to the Eastern Aegean. And this while the arrivals of migrants with boats are continuous and are expected to continue in the coming days as since October 2023 it has become evident that the southern coasts of Crete and especially Gavdos are a destination for migration flows from North Africa to Europe. On the morning of Sunday (10.03.2024) the 91 male immigrants found in a boat south of Gavdos were transferred to Souda on Saturday afternoon and were initially taken to St. Galini Rethymnon. Despite the great efforts of the porters there was no housed space for their stay as the camps of the Municipality of Chania in Kalatha are already overcrowded with the hospitality of 60 migrants who had been spotted on Saturday morning in Paleochora, while as it was known from the Port, two persons were arrested 26 and 22 years old. So the only solution was their stay in a housed parking lot behind the Central Port Authority of Chania. The Porters gave them blankets that had been provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and their feeding took over by the Municipality of Chania. Early in the morning their recording began and although they look good in their health they were examined by a step of EOPY (KOMY) Chania In the same area will be transferred on Sunday afternoon – the 35 young immigrants found this morning in Gavdos. The situation with Crete now being a gateway to immigration requires the immediate intervention of both the Ministry of Immigration and the Ministry of Shipping.