Migrant flows to east Aegean islands spike
Traffickers taking advantage of reduced maritime patrols during turbulent weather
The Hellenic Coast Guard has been placed on alert due to a dramatic spike in migrant movements from Turkey to Greece’s eastern Aegean islands in recent days.
Such was the concern that a decision was made to dispatch the chief of the coast guard, Giorgos Alexandrakis, to Mytilene on Lesvos to closely coordinate the response and provide support to corps personnel stationed on the island.
The rise in migratory pressure began on Friday and continued over the weekend due to severe weather conditions in the eastern Aegean. According to fully confirmed information received by Kathimerini, a total of 18 incidents were reported between Friday and Monday morning, with the majority occurring on Lesvos and, secondly, Kos. This is a much higher number than in prior days, which has alarmed the coast guard and the Maritime Affairs Ministry. Alexandrakis’ visit to Mytilene on Sunday was preceded by a close encounter between a Turkish flotilla and two Hellenic Coast Guard vessels near Imia on Saturday, which was resolved by direct communication between Greek and Turkish officials.
According to accounts brought to the attention of Kathimerini, 400 refugees and migrants were detected after their arrival on Greek territory, while six more incidents of “early detection” were recorded, with coast guard patrol boats intercepting the course of the boats with the migrants before they entered Greek territorial waters. Greek officials attributed the increase in migrant pressure not to a sudden change in Turkey’s attitude but to a change in the modus operandi of traffickers, who choose to send their boats with migrants to Greece on days with bad weather and winds of 7 or even 8 Beaufort.
This is because they have realized that under these conditions, patrols by the Turkish and Greek coast guards are limited, reducing the chances of detecting the migrants. According to Maritime Affairs Ministry sources, this particular mode of operation has begun to be recorded in recent months, at a time when Greece and Turkey have improved their collaboration in maritime border surveillance.
However, the gaps that have been identified in cooperation between the two coast guards in the period since Ankara’s agreement on cooperation in border surveillance are expected to be put on the table at a meeting of officials from the two countries to be hosted on March 4 on Chios.
