Migrant vessel escorted to safety in rough seas off Crete

A total of 59 migrants – 47 men, eight women and four children – were collected from a sea area off the island of Crete, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The rescue took place on Thursday near Sfakia in an operation conducted by the coast guard and the local port authority after the migrants, who were in a sailing vessel, found themselves in rough seas.

The vessel was escorted by coast guard and port authority boats to Hora in Sfakia, where the migrants disembarked before being transferred to accommodation in Hania.

After an extensive search conducted by officers of the Hora Port Authority and local police, two foreign nationals were arrested, aged 27 and 44.

Both were identified by those rescued as the skippers of the vessel and the traffickers.