ATHENS: Greek police said Monday they had arrested 67 Egyptians who claimed they were fleeing Libya for Italy when their fishing boat got into problems off the island of Crete.
Among them five who captained the 20-metre trawler would be prosecuted for suspected smuggling, police said.
The Egyptians aged between 15 and 30 were rescued Sunday evening near Gialiskari beach southwest of the island as their boat began taking on water.
They claimed to be expatriate workers in Libya, harbor police said.
Thousands of people have fled Libya since battles began between rebels and Moammar Qaddai’s forces earlier this year, with many of them seeking refuge on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.
