Greek authorities detain migrants on the southern island of Crete as smugglers seek new routes

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities on the southern Greek island of Crete have detained 76 migrants after they arrived on three boats as smugglers seek new routes in the region to evade coast guard patrols. The migrants, from Syria, Egypt, Sudan, and Bangladesh, included six children and arrived before dawn Tuesday on the tiny island of Gavdos, near Crete’s southern coast, local officials said. Usually, they are detained for identification and processing, after which they can apply for asylum while waiting in refugee camps, with cases accessed on an individual basis. Smugglers typically target Greek islands close to Turkey’s coastline, but in recent months they have increasingly chosen longer routes to avoid coast guard patrols.