Greece’s coast guard rescued 79 migrants, including Bangladeshi and Sudanese nationals, from two boats near the port of Kalilimanes in southern Crete on Tuesday. At least two women and two children were among those rescued. An EU drone detected the two vessels at sea, after which authorities carried out the rescue operation.

The ANA news agency had initially reported that 85 people were rescued, but the coast guard later said the confirmed total was 79. Crete and the nearby island of Gavdos have recently become important entry points for migrants attempting to reach Europe from Libya, a journey involving long and risky sea crossings.

Greek migration ministry data showed that arrivals fell from about 61,000 in the year ending August 2025 to about 42,000 in the following 12 months, a decline of roughly 31 percent. However, Crete and Gavdos remain key routes. Greece is also discussing EU-external “return hubs” with Germany and other European countries as migration policies tighten.