Approximately 200 migrants were transported on Saturday morning (12/7) from Crete to the port of Piraeus, as part of the gradual decongestion of the island and the operation to evacuate accommodation facilities, transferring the hosted individuals to mainland Greece.
Two ships carrying 200 migrants from Crete arrived at Piraeus port this morning
Strong forces from the Coast Guard were present during the disembarkation process, regulating the procedure and traffic at the location. According to ERT, the first ship docked just before 06:30, carrying 94 migrants from Chania, with the disembarkation operation proceeding smoothly, while at 07:00 a second ship arrived from Heraklion, carrying approximately 100 more migrants who had been hosted at a facility in Rethymno.
At present, the identity of the reception facilities in the mainland has not yet been disclosed, however reports indicate that the newly arrived individuals will be directed to accommodation centers in mainland Greece. Additionally, by next Wednesday (16/7) an estimated 800 migrants from Africa are expected to have left the island on regular ferry services.
9,500 people in Crete from Libya
Since the beginning of the year, 9,500 people have arrived in Crete from Libya, with the increase in migration flows exceeding 350% compared to last year.
The issue of managing migration flows was discussed at the first meeting, which took place yesterday at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum with local representatives from the island. The responsible minister, Thanos Plevris presented the interventions that have already been scheduled for decongesting the situation, emphasizing that the government has activated specific “prevention, surveillance and reception measures” to protect local communities, with full respect for the country’s international obligations.
In the coming days, the Minister of Migration and Asylum will clarify the nature of the reception and identification facility being considered in Crete. As stated by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Yannis Kefalogiannis: “What is certain is that we are not talking about a prison, as some suggest.”
During the meeting, the location where the facility will be created was not discussed at all, while final decisions will be made in the coming days.
