Samos Port Authority

A smuggler and 30 migrants were arrested by the Coast Guard following a chase on Friday (22/11) in Samos.

It all began when a Coast Guard patrol boat spotted a speedboat carrying migrants, moving at high speed from the Turkish coast toward the northeastern shores of Samos.

The search and rescue operation in the area northwest of Samos, near the bay of Agios Isidoros, is in full swing for the second day, aiming to locate survivors after the capsizing of a boat in the area.

On Tuesday morning (17/9), the Samos Port Authority was informed of the presence of a speedboat with foreigners on board, which was moving towards the northwest coast of the island. A Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat rushed to the area and spotted the vessel, attempting to immobilize it with sound and visual signals.

Yesterday the Samos Coastal Authority detected a suspicious speedboat coming from the Turkish coast and heading towards the south-eastern coast of Samos. Immediately, a patrol boat went to the area, which spotted the speedboat and instructed its operator to stop, but he did not comply with the coast guard’s orders, resulting in a chase and immobilization.

The implementation of the express visa measure for Turkish tourists in Samos has been a success with thousands of Turkish tourists flocking to the island, data shows.