The Greek navy towed a ship to safety yesterday (28.11) from international waters into Ierapetra harbor, on Crete island, with 584 undocumented immigrants aboard; the Kiribati-flagged freighter Baris had lost power in the Mediterranean Sea.

The migrants, 385 men, 99 women and 100 children, were exhausted, terrified, but finally safe. Ierapetra local authorities and volunteer groups prepared an indoor basketball stadium to provide temporary shelter for them, and were collecting food, blankets, mattresses and toiletries. During the rescue operation, a 16-member medical team examined the immigrants’ health; a pregnant woman was airlifted by helicopter to an island hospital. The coast guard said initial indications suggested passengers included Syrians and Afghans heading for Italy.

EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos emphasised that “we are confronted with the highest migratory pressure at our external borders since the Balkan crisis during the European Parliament’s   plenary debate on migration yesterday (11.27).” He added that this crisis requires an integrated approach, including foreign and security policies and highlighted the need for solidarity and responsibility among the EU member states for “building a common European migration and asylum system, with common standards and rights for migrants.”

See also: Rescue Operation of Baris [video]