Frontex detains 21 Afghan migrants en route to Italy

Jul 5, 2011, 8:54 GMT

Athens - Twenty one Afghan migrants trying to reach Italy were detained by the EU's border protection agency north of the Mediterranean island of Crete, according to radio reports Tuesday.

The group, which included seven children, had set sail from the western coast of Turkey and was heading to Italy, when their vessel was detected by Frontex border guards near the Greek island of Kythira, north of Crete.

Two suspected human traffickers of Turkish origin were arrested and the migrants were taken to the Cretan city of Hania.

Greece is increasing its sea and land border patrols over concerns that the escalating crisis in northern Africa could trigger a wave of migrants attempting to enter Europe.

As a destination for thousands of migrants trying to gain access to Europe illegally each year, Greece has long accused Turkey of failing to stem the flow and also ignoring an agreement to accept returning migrants who had been detained.

Under a recent deal with the European Union, Turkey will be required to take back its own citizens as well as those of other non-EU states who enter the EU illegally. The rules would not apply to asylum seekers.

Greece said about 128,000 migrants arrived in the country illegally in 2010, the highest for any EU member state.