The Greek Coast Guard sent a request to the European Border and Coast Guard agency FRONTEX on Monday to send further assistance to Greece, amid the increasing migrant influx from across the Aegean Sea.
More specifically, Greece requested additional thermal cameras, radars and new technology monitoring equipment in its efforts to ”seal” the sea border between Greece and Turkey.
Thus far, following a governmental decision, Greece has deployed more than 1,300 officers and more than fifty patrol vessels to cover a range of areas from the northernmost to the southernmost reaches of the Aegean Sea.
National Guard agencies from many EU member states have already sent their own vessels and monitoring equipment, including radar, to the Aegean Sea to assist the Greek authorities and FRONTEX, highlighting the importance of Greece’s border with Turkey in the overall safety of the EU.
According to the current large numbers of arrivals, national and EU coastal agencies have had to rescue between 400 and 500 migrants every single day across the Aegean Sea, bringing Greece’s ability to cope with the influx to its absolute limits.
FRONTEX is responsible for guarding the external borders of the EU. Its operation is in addition to the national border and Coast Guard agencies of every member state of the union.
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