Greece: 30 migrants picked up from islet off Crete

By ELENA BECATOROS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say they have picked up a group of 30 people from a wooden boat that had lost steering and was drifting close to the rocky coast of a small islet north of Crete in the latest case of boats carrying migrants running into trouble in southern Greece. The coast guard said Tuesday they had received a distress call on Monday from the boat while it was sailing between Crete and the small island of Antikythera. The preferred route for asylum-seekers seeking to enter the European Union has been for years the much shorter route from Turkey to nearby Greek islands. But more people are attempting the longer route directly to Italy because Greek authorities are increasing patrols.