Greece Intercepts Over 500 Migrants Near Crete, Redirects to Lavrio Port

Lavrio, Greece, Jul 10 (AP) - Over 500 migrants made their way to Lavrio Port near Athens after being intercepted south of Crete, as Greece launches emergency efforts to manage a surge in Mediterranean crossings originating from Libya.

The group, primarily comprised of young men, was shifted overnight to a bulk carrier following the interception of their fishing trawler by Greek authorities. Service vessels assisted in bringing the migrants to shore at the mainland port. From Lavrio, they'll be transported to detention facilities near Athens.

This transfer to the mainland was necessitated by the over-capacity situation at makeshift reception centers on Crete, with around 500 new arrivals per day since the weekend straining the island's resources.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared on Wednesday that Greece will pause asylum processing for sea-arriving migrants from North Africa for a three-month period.

This measure primarily targets arrivals at Crete and follows rising diplomatic tensions between the European Union and Libya concerning migration cooperation. Earlier this week, EU officials were denied entry in eastern Libya due to disagreements about planned talks to curb crossings.

The authorities on Crete are finding it challenging to ensure basic services, relying on temporary facilities to house the migrants, who mostly come from Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, and Morocco, as reported by local officials. (AP)

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