Greece has declared a national emergency and launched mass deportations following a sharp rise in migrant arrivals on the island of Crete.

According to government figures, more than 7,000 people have been detained this week alone. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move was necessary to protect the country’s borders, warning that “Greece’s safety and sovereignty are non-negotiable.”

The emergency measures include increased coastal patrols, deployment of additional security forces, and the immediate transfer of detainees to holding facilities for processing and deportation.

Officials say the spike in arrivals has been driven by instability in North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, with smuggling networks taking advantage of calmer summer seas.

The Greek government has called on other European nations to adopt “stronger border protection and coordinated deportation policies”, arguing that the current system encourages dangerous crossings and places an unsustainable strain on frontline states.

EU leaders are expected to discuss migration policy at an emergency summit later this month in Brussels.