Irregular migration from Libya to Crete is rising, raising questions about the links between people smugglers, militias and Europe

This year, almost 20,000 people have already tried to make the perilous crossing from Libya in north Africa to the Greek island of Crete. The route, which runs from the east coast of Libya to Greece, has become an increasingly significant corridor for irregular migration into Europe, Greek daily Kathimerini recently reported. On Oct. 20 alone, Greek authorities registered 710 people in 14 boats . Hundreds more arrived the next day. Many of the boats depart from areas around Tobruk, a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast. According to Kathimerini, migrants pay as much as $4,000 (€3,600) for the crossing, which takes around a day and a half.