More than 150 migrants rescued off Crete in three days

Greek authorities coordinated the rescue of more than 150 migrants off the island of Crete over three days, the Athens News Agency reported on Sunday.

ANA said 131 migrants were rescued on Friday in two operations carried out by vessels operated by Frontex, the European Union border agency. On Saturday, a passing oil tanker was directed to save 33 migrants from a small boat.

Greece's migration ministry said the migrants were to be taken to centres on the islands of Lesbos and Samos, and possibly later to centres on the Greek mainland.

Crete and the nearby island of Gavdos lie on a maritime route used by migrants leaving Libya by boat in attempts to reach Europe.

Separately, Greek state television reported that “serious incidents” broke out on Saturday night at a temporary asylum-seeker centre in Sintiki, in northern Greece, and that police reinforcements were sent there. The Greek government said 14 people were arrested and five foreigners were hurt when a group of people threw stones at police. It said 41 people escaped after the wire fence around the centre was cut, and that 17 were later arrested.