29 migrants rescued off small boat in trouble in the Mediterranean Sea south of Crete

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say another 29 migrants have been rescued off a crippled boat in the Mediterranean Sea south of Crete, on an increasingly busy migration route from North Africa to Europe. A coast guard statement says the boat was located south of Gavdos, a small island off Crete’s southern coast, by a passing merchant ship after passengers made an emergency call for assistance. Southern Crete and Gavdos have seen a substantial increase in migrant arrivals this year. Most leave from the eastern Libyan port of Tobruk, having paid smuggling gangs up to $5,000 each. According to United Nations data, more than 1,200 people have reached the area this year.