Greek coastguard crews pulled more than 200 migrants from four boats south of Crete in an operation that ran from late Thursday into early Friday. The group included ten women and six children, taken aboard along with everyone else from the vessels. Rescues happened as far as 50 nautical miles from the coast, well beyond the island's near waters. Operations at that distance are demanding for crews, given the time and fuel needed to reach boats found adrift. The crossing from eastern Libya towards Crete remains the busiest migration route into Europe, drawing departures that are often overloaded and poorly equipped. Authorities have warned for months about the dangers of that stretch of sea. Friday's operation adds to a rescue tally that keeps rising with no clear slowdown in departures.