Laconia: 64 migrants rescued southwest of Kythira – Two arrested as smugglers

A search and rescue operation for 64 migrants was organized by the Port Authority of Neapolis Voion in the sea area 20 nautical miles southwest of Kythira on Tuesday afternoon (October 29, 2024).

Under the coordination of the Unified Center for Search and Rescue Coordination, vessels and a Vietnamese-flagged tanker sailing nearby were dispatched immediately. Once the sailboat was located, 64 migrants were rescued, consisting of 37 men, 7 women, and 20 minors.

The tanker anchored at the Vathika Bay, where the migrants were safely transferred to the port of Neapolis Voion with the assistance of the passenger boats “MAHI” N.N. 11 and “LEVANTES” N.P. 10171, and subsequently taken to a temporary accommodation facility in Monemvasia.

According to the survivors, the sailboat had departed in the morning hours of Sunday (October 26, 2024) from Marmaris, Türkiye, heading for Italy.

The Neapolis Voion Port Authority, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, arrested two foreign nationals, aged 20 and 47, who were identified by the others as their smugglers. They were detained for violating Article 25 of Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code) and Article 83 of Law 3386/2005 (Illegal entry into the country).

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