ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities on the southern Greek island of Crete detained 76 migrants early Tuesday after they arrived on three boats, as smugglers seek new routes in the region to evade coast guard patrols.

The migrants from Syria, Egypt, Sudan and Bangladesh included six children and arrived before dawn on the tiny island of Gavdos, near Crete’s southern coast, local officials said. Usually, such migrants are detained for identification and processing, after which they can apply for asylum while waiting in refugee camps, with cases accessed on an individual basis.

Smugglers typically target Greek islands close to Turkey’s coastline, but in recent months they have increasingly chosen longer routes to Crete and islands in the central Aegean Sea, where coast guard patrols are more relaxed.

The Greek government is considering setting up state-funded processing centers on Crete to assist local authorities. Currently, migrants are housed in sports facilities, disused buildings, and schools during the summer months.

The Aegean route remains active, and on Tuesday Greece's coast guard said it had picked up a total 70 people over the past 24 hours in three separate incidents off the country's eastern islands. All made the short crossing from Turkey in small boats. They were taken to migrant reception centers on Samos, Leros and Chios.

According to data updated by the United Nations refugee agency, more than 28,000 migrants have arrived illegally in Greece this year, a rate slightly lower than in Italy and Spain. The rate of migrants arriving illegally in Greece has eased slightly so far this year following a post-pandemic spike in 2023, according to UNCHR.

Greece has received backlash from human rights organizations over the treatment of migrants trying to reach its shores. In June, it denied a BBC report that accused its coast guard of brutal practices resulting in dozens of deaths. ___ Follow AP coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/migration