Greece seals off the holiday island of Crete for refugees from Libya

Crete is arming itself

Military should guard holiday island

Greece awaits the passage of refugees from Libya. A holiday island is to be monitored with the help of drones and aircraft.

In view of increasing migration movements via the route from Libya to Crete, Greece is planning to increase its coast guard personnel. In addition, Vassilis Kikilias, the Greek Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, announced the procurement of four aircraft and two drones to be used in the maritime area south of Crete. The island is the “top priority” for the Greek government, Kikilias told broadcaster ERTNews.

Crete is around 300 kilometers from the Libyan port city of Tobruk. Using this route, smuggler gangs release migrants into the open sea without adequate supplies or navigation options. Accidents always occur.

In the previous week, hundreds of migrants had reached Crete. According to the coast guard, a total of 369 people were counted. The authorities assume that more boats are on the way from Libya because smuggling gangs are taking advantage of the calm weather at sea. There are currently hardly any strong winds.

Crete is now considered one of the most important destinations for migrants who arrive irregularly from Libya to Greece and thus to the European Union. According to official information, around 20,000 people reached the popular holiday island in 2025.

The United Nations recently pointed out that around 500,000 refugees from the civil war country in Libya alone are waiting for a passage to Europe. “The fact is, if there is no investment in the (neighbouring) countries that have welcomed refugees and are already sharing what they have, people will move on,” said UN diplomat Mamadou Dian Balde. “If they have nothing to lose, what else are they supposed to do?” Anyone who believes that the conflict will continue without affecting the stability of the other states in the region is making a big mistake.