On 15 September, 231 migrants arrived in southern Crete. According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, two groups were rescued south of Crete by their vessels after departing North Africa in small boats. Two more groups were detected after making it to the southern shore of the island. A Frontex vessel spotted another migrant boat near the island of Gavdos, recovered 67 people and transported them to Crete. A little bit later, a Hellenic Navy patrol boat detected another group of about 60 migrants in a boat, rescued and took them to Kali Limenas in southern Crete.
On 17 September, the Ocean Viking rescue vessel, registered in Norway and operated by the NGO SOS Méditerranée, was alerted by a Frontex drone and rescued 23 people who were aboard a distressed inflatable boat inside of the Libyan Search & Rescue Zone off the western Libyan coast. On 18 September, the Ocean Viking headed for the rescue of a vessel in distress with 80 people on board, again off the western Libyan coast. Minutes before they reached the boat, the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted the vessel, detained the migrants and brought them back to Libya.