In coordination with European partners and Libyan authorities, Greece has sent navy vessels off the Libyan coast to prevent migrants from reaching its territory. Greece's prime minister has described the move as necessary to deter human traffickers.
Greece has announced the deployment of two frigates and an additional naval vessel off the coast of Libya to deter migrant arrivals on its southern islands, particularly Crete and Gavdos.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis revealed the plan following an emergency national security meeting on Sunday (June 22), describing the current situation as "alarming" and emphasizing the need for preventative action to deter human traffickers from "commanding" who enters the country.
"I have asked the defence minister…to ensure that Greek navy vessels are deployed off Libya's territorial waters to pre-emptively…send a message that human traffickers will not command who enters our country," Mitsotakis is reported as saying after meeting President Konstantinos.
"I believe that this is a necessary step under current circumstances," he added.
June sees uptick in migrant sea crossings from northeastern Libya
The Greek naval mission, organized in coordination with Libyan authorities and European partners, aims to intercept migrant boats before they reach Greek territory. The three vessels, including a support ship, are expected to set sail in the coming days.
Mitsotakis said that this move is intended to send a clear message to smugglers that Greece will not allow uncontrolled migration flows.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in sea crossings from northeastern Libya, with over 800 migrants attempting the journey since last Thursday alone. Last week, Greek authorities rescued around 700 people from boats drifting in international waters near Crete. Many migrants making the high-risk journey are fleeing conflict and instability in countries such as Sudan, Egypt, and Bangladesh.
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According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 6,500 migrants landed on Crete between January and mid-June 2025 -- surpassing last year's total of 5,100.
The majority of the arrivals have come by sea, as traffickers increasingly opt for the longer, more dangerous Mediterranean route from North Africa to bypass the heavily patrolled eastern maritime border with Turkey.
Greece — gateway to Europe
Greece has long served as a primary gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, particularly since 2015. While arrivals from Turkey have declined in recent years, the route from Libya has become more active, prompting the Greek government to strengthen cooperation with both Libya and Egypt to address the migration flows.
The naval deployment also comes as Greece and Libya work to rebuild relations weakened by a 2019 maritime agreement between Libya and Turkey. Mitsotakis has signalled that naval deployment would be raised at the upcoming European Council meeting, seeking broader European support for Greece’s position and efforts to manage migration in the Mediterranean.
with Reuters, dpa