Sunbathers Shove Migrant Boat Back on Gavdos
Furious beachgoers repel Libyan migrant dinghy from Greek paradise island amid claims of partying chaos Othmane Ettalbi : Pexels

Furious holidaymakers waded into the turquoise shallows off Greece's remote Gavdos island, shoving a migrant dinghy back out to sea while chanting 'go home', as the idyllic 70-person outpost buckled under an unprecedented surge of arrivals from Libya.

On 14 September 2025, viral footage captures locals blocking the vessel on Sarakiniko beach, fuelling a migrant crisis that has locals decrying newcomers for 'only partying' and turning their 70-person haven into a chaotic hotspot.

Viral Clash: Tourists Block Migrant Dinghy

On 14 September 2025, a small inflatable dinghy packed with Libyan migrants approached Sarakiniko beach on Gavdos, Europe's southernmost speck of land south of Crete. Sunbathers, clad in trunks, splashed into shallows to heave the boat seaward, shouting in Greek 'You came here for no reason lads, have a good trip back,' as captured in a TikTok clip that racked up thousands of views overnight.

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Tourists were seen in dramatic footage trying to push a migrant-packed boat away from the shore as they descended on a Greek beach. A video taken on Saturday shows a small vessel carrying a group of asylum seekers as it attempted to land on Sarakiniko beach in the southern island of Gavdos. Beach-goers were filmed getting into the water and pushing away the boat with their hands in a bid to stop the illegal migrants, from Libya, from reaching Greek shores. Bathers then told the migrants not to disembark on the beach and redirected them to the port, according to local media. #greece #beach #europe #migrants

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Frontex patrol boats later intercepted the vessel, escorting migrants to Gavdos port for processing amid the island's frantic decongestion efforts. This act of defiance underscores Gavdos' plight, where a weekend surge saw roughly 850 arrivals swamp the 70-resident idyll, straining water supplies and forcing makeshift camps.

Locals, fearing their eco-tourist gem becomes the next Lampedusa—Italy's migrant-battered outpost—voiced exasperation at the relentless tide. By 16 September 2025, over 1,100 migrants crammed island facilities, prompting urgent mainland transfers.

Local Frustration: 'They Only Party'

Gavdos residents erupted with claims that migrants 'only party'—blasting music late into nights and littering beaches—while 'overrunning' their serene town, turning summer idylls into tense standoffs.

This incident underscores a broader migrant surge hitting Greece's migrant crisis hotspots. Over the prior weekend, roughly 850 people successfully reached Gavdos and nearby Crete, many via precarious sea routes from North Africa. Residents complain that newcomers, often young men, disrupt the tranquil vibe by gathering in groups, playing loud music and littering beaches—behaviours dubbed as 'only partying' in viral social media rants.

One X post from @Cilvrnum on 16 September 2025 captured the fury: 'Migrant boat pushed back to sea by sunbathers on Greek island', linking to coverage that amplified local defiance.

Migrant Numbers Skyrocket Across Crete and Gavdos

Greece's Hellenic Coast Guard reported 7,336 irregular arrivals on Crete and Gavdos by June 2025, with nearly 2,000 more in July alone, fuelling the island migrant crisis. UNHCR data corroborates this, noting over 7,300 sea crossings from Libya's Tobruk port targeting these southern outposts by mid-year.

The remote Gavdos, lacking formal reception centres, relies on ad-hoc transfers to Crete, but bad weather often traps hundreds onshore, exacerbating tensions. Local officials describe a 'very frustrating situation', with over 1,100 migrants crammed into Crete's Agia facility by mid-September 2025, far beyond capacity.

On 6 July 2025, coastguard rescues off Gavdos saved 430 people from one boat, while Frontex aided 96 more near Crete—incidents that highlighted the route's dangers yet persistent appeal.

Government Crackdown: Asylum Freeze and Deportations

In response to the Gavdos overload, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced on 9 July 2025 a three-month suspension of asylum claims for North African arrivals, imposing five-year prison terms for deportation refusals.

'The decongestion of the island began yesterday and within two to three days everyone will have left,' Plevris stated, detailing transfers to mainland sites. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis echoed this, vowing collaboration with Libya to halt departures and declaring the policy a 'message of determination' to traffickers.

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