Maritime pursuit in the Aegean: two traffickers arrested with 15 migrants
The Hellenic Coast Guard arrested a Greek and a Cypriot trafficker in a maritime operation off the island of Keros, following a pursuit that lasted several hours.
Maritime pursuit in the Aegean: two traffickers arrested with 15 migrants
A Greek and a Cypriot fell into the hands of coast guard authorities following a lengthy sea pursuit. In the early morning hours, in the area around Keros, they stopped their inflatable boat, on which 15 people were aboard, to whom they provided assistance.
The incident began when a monitoring station spotted a suspicious vessel moving at excessive speed from Turkish shores towards Greek waters. The inflatable boat in question was equipped with two powerful outboard engines and came into the sights of the Coast Guard operations centre.
Seven patrol boats and a helicopter were immediately mobilised, undertaking the search and pursuit operation. The captain of the inflatable ignored the orders of the authorities and continued his course at exceptionally high speeds.
The pursuit lasted several hours across a large area of the Aegean. Eventually, coast guard personnel managed to stop the vessel at the southeastern tip of Keros. The two operators were arrested, whilst the inflatable was seized as a tool of illegal activity.
Among the 15 passengers were eight children from Syria. These people were rescued safely and transported to Naxos, where they were provided with the necessary care.
Shipping Minister Vasilis Kikilas praised the work of Coast Guard personnel, emphasising the effectiveness and readiness of the forces that participated in the operation.
The Port Authority of Naxos is conducting the preliminary investigation and gathering material to establish the exact conditions of the transport.
Source: Naftemporiki
Source: Naftemporiki