South Crete: 11,500 People in 245 Incidents This Year

The pressure being placed on services along Crete’s south coast was described by the president of the Union of Coast Guard Personnel of Eastern Crete, Giorgos Sfakianakis, speaking on Radio Kriti. According to the figures he cited, since the start of 2026 245 incidents and around 11,500 people have been recorded. ״It’s difficult in the field, staff are exhausted,״ he said, calling for immediate reinforcement of personnel. He argued that ״a redesign״ of the management approach is needed. The remarks were made on Giorgos Papadakis’s programme.

The key operational fact, as he put it, is the size of the area of responsibility. The maritime front of southern Crete spans roughly 200 nautical miles, without a matching increase in staff and resources. The ministry and Coast Guard headquarters have committed to reinforcements in September. Until then, existing forces are being asked to cover the peak period. He also noted that the profile of arrivals has changed: previously there were families with children, whereas today it is mainly minors and men up to around thirty years old.

On the same programme, the mayor of Ierapetra, Manolis Fragoulis, revealed that a decision has been made on managing arrivals in Lasithi. Under it, migrants located south of Ierapetra and more broadly in the south of the prefecture will be transferred to the new reception facility at Athanatoi in the Municipality of Heraklion. The disclosure came after a meeting at the Ierapetra Port Authority on Wednesday, August 12. The meeting was attended by the Parliament’s first vice-president, Giannis Plakiotakis. The decision has not been officially announced by the relevant ministry.

Figures for the area of responsibility of the Ierapetra Port Authority show the scale of the phenomenon. From September 13, 2025 to August 6, 2026, 42 incidents and 2,259 people were recorded. The mayor also referred to the reactions caused by the use of disused school buildings in Mythoi and Kalogeroi, Ierapetra. Addressing the broader issue, he said ״all of Africa cannot come to Europe, all of North Africa cannot come to Europe.״ The remarks reflect the tension that has built up at the local level.

The mayor of Faistos, Grigoris Nikolidakis, in whose administrative area Kali Limenes is located, also intervened. ״Local government can no longer cope,״ he said. He asked for help ״to see how these people will receive first aid,״ pointing out there is not enough staff. The municipalities of southern Crete are being asked to cover needs for food, transport and initial reception without matching resources. The call for institutional and financial support has been repeated for months.

The debate over the facility at Athanatoi remains open at the local level. Residents of the area have repeatedly blocked the road in protest, following the allocation of warehouses for a reception facility. The new decision on Lasithi increases the number of people who will be directed there. It is not yet known whether a corresponding increase in capacity is planned. Local bodies are awaiting official information.

Creta Today will follow developments on both the operational and institutional fronts. Arrivals continue at an increased pace, as shown also by incidents recorded in the last twenty-four hours. More from Lasithi on the Lasithi page. The commitment to reinforce staff in September will be tested in practice. Until then, the peak period continues.