In a troubling development, Greek authorities have reported that smugglers transporting migrants from Turkey to Greece's eastern islands have resorted to new and perilous tactics to avoid capture by coast guards. Over the weekend, two separate incidents occurred where migrants were pushed off speedboats into the sea by smugglers.
All eight migrants involved in these incidents were successfully rescued. This alarming trend comes as smugglers have shifted from using inflatable dinghies to high-powered speedboats and have become increasingly aggressive in their attempts to evade Greek marine patrols.
Last week, a tragic incident unfolded when coast guards were forced to open fire, resulting in the death of one migrant, after a speedboat allegedly rammed their vessel in the eastern Aegean Sea during a pursuit.
The Greek coast guard revealed that in one of the recent incidents, a Palestinian and an Afghan man operating a speedboat near the island of Kos attempted to ram a pursuing patrol boat. Subsequently, they forced five passengers to jump into the sea before fleeing towards the island. The coast guards managed to rescue the stranded migrants, while the two suspected smugglers were apprehended.
In another distressing event off the island of Symi, three migrants were forced off a smuggling boat mid-chase, allowing the smugglers to return to Turkish waters with the remaining passengers, who were later picked up by the Turkish coast guard.
The rescued migrants shared that they had each paid $4,500 for the perilous journey across the sea. Smuggling networks have been adapting to evade Greek authorities, utilizing high-speed boats and exploring new routes through the central Aegean. Additionally, there has been a rise in migrants undertaking the longer voyage from Libya to the southern Greek island of Crete.
Separately, the Greek coast guard disclosed that 42 individuals arrived on the eastern island of Leros in the past 24 hours via two speedboats. Among the migrants, two suspected smugglers were arrested on land, while a third was apprehended at sea following a pursuit.
According to the United Nations refugee agency, approximately 31,500 migrants have entered Greece illegally this year. While this number is slightly lower than those reaching Italy and Spain, Greece remains a significant entry point for individuals seeking to enter Europe through irregular means.
For more updates on migration-related news, visit AP's migration coverage.
