As the number of arrivals climbs, 90 migrants are rescued from a stranded sailboat in Greece

In light of an upsurge in arrivals in recent weeks, Greek officials report that 90 migrants have been rescued from a stranded sailboat close to the Aegean Sea island of Amorgos.

The migrants were rescued late on Thursday and transferred to the eastern island of Leros where they were held for processing and identification by patrol boats and three civilian vessels, the coast guard said on Friday.

Greek authorities attribute the rise in arrivals mostly to the continuing and escalating wars in Africa, which put strain on the primary smuggling routes into Europe, as well as to the booming illegal market for subpar inflatable boats in Turkey.

The government claims that its practice of stopping boats at sea, which human rights organizations claim involves unlawful summary deportations also known as pushbacks, has not altered.