The rescue operation, which took place 17 nautical miles south of Gavdos, concluded late Tuesday night under the coordination of the Hellenic Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC).

The rescued individuals are currently being transported to the port of Lavrio aboard a Bahamas-flagged cargo ship, escorted by a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel. From there, they will be transferred to the Malakasa migrant facility in mainland Greece.

The operation began around 2:00 a.m., involving two Frontex aircraft and four nearby vessels. Adverse weather conditions—winds reaching up to 6 Beaufort—significantly hampered the rescue efforts.

Initially, the plan had been to bring the rescued migrants to the port of Chora Sfakion in Crete, but this was later revised in favor of relocation to Lavrio and ultimately Malakasa.