ATHENS, June 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Over 400 asylum seekers have landed at the small island of Gavdos near Crete, a new entry point increasingly used by migrant smugglers in past months, the Greek coastguard said Friday.

The asylum seekers arrived in separate groups over the last 24 hours, with the largest including over 350 people off Gavdos, the coastguard told AFP.

The migrants' fishing boat was detected by an EU border agency Frontex vessel on Thursday. A Greek coastguard vessel and four nearby cargo ships participated in the rescue operation.

The asylum seekers are to be transferred to a temporary reception centre in Paleochora in Crete for registration and identification.

On Thursday morning, another group of about 40 migrants was spotted on a coast of Gavdos by the coastguard. They were also transferred to the camp in Crete, according to an official statement.

No details have been released so far regarding the migrants' nationalities.

Located at the external borders of the EU in the southeastern Mediterranean, Greece is one of the main gateways to Europe for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

According to UN figures, over 14,000 people have arrived by sea this year, compared to over 54,000 in 2024.