Greece Deploys Naval Vessels Off Libya to Deter Rising Migrant Crossings
Greece has deployed two naval frigates and a support ship to international waters off Libya in a concerted effort to deter migrant departures toward Greek territory, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on June 23, 2025. The vessels, set to begin operations in the coming days, will patrol near Libya in coordination with the Libyan coast guard and European naval assets, including Frontex, aiming to disrupt smuggling routes and prevent traffickers from dictating migration flows.
The decision follows a surge of more than 800 attempted crossings from northeastern Libya toward Greek islands such as Crete and Gavdos in recent days. Since Thursday, an increasing number of migrants—mainly from Sudan, Egypt and Bangladesh—have embarked on perilous voyages to reach EU territory. Mitsotakis underscored the urgency of the situation during a national security and defense council meeting, stressing that traffickers must not control entry into Greece.
Just days prior, Greek authorities conducted a significant rescue operation southwest of Crete and Gavdos after intercepting two overcrowded wooden fishing vessels. The first, located roughly 55 km south of Gavdos, carried 352 migrants; a Frontex ship, a Greek coast guard vessel, and four additional ships assisted in the rescue. A second boat, carrying 278 individuals, was found about 90 km south of Crete and was rescued with help from a passing Portuguese-flagged cargo ship. All rescued migrants were safely transferred to Crete for processing. Authorities also reported two shorter voyages involving 73 men and 26 people, including a woman and three minors, who departed from Tobruk and reportedly paid smugglers approximately €4,000 per person. Two Sudanese teenagers have been detained on suspicion of organizing one of the departures.
Greece has long been a primary European entry point since the 2015 refugee crisis, but recent years have seen a shift from Turkish land routes to longer Mediterranean crossings from Libya. In 2024, more than 60,000 migrants arrived in Greece by sea, up from approximately 48,000 in 2023. So far in 2025, over 16,000 migrants have arrived by mid-June, with an estimated 14,600 of those by sea.
This naval deployment reinforces Greece’s commitment to securing its maritime borders and reflects broader European Union initiatives such as Operation Irini, which targets arms and people smuggling off Libya. It also signals renewed diplomatic engagement between Athens and Tripoli after years of tension following agreements between Libya and Turkey in 2019.
The operation aims to signal to smugglers that Greece and its EU partners are prepared to act decisively to stem irregular migration. Amid mounting humanitarian concerns, the Greek coast guard’s rescue missions have underscored the perilous conditions migrants face—and the need for robust, coordinated maritime strategy.
