At least 40 migrants were let off on the shores of the island of Kos by two speedboats on Tuesday night (Greece time).
The speedboats were pursued and intercepted by the Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boats and four people arrested as suspected traffickers.
In the first instance, a coast guard patrol boat spotted a polymer-hull speedboat sailing at high speed without navigation lights and letting off roughly 20 foreign nationals at the coast of Therma on Kos.
The speedboat then attempted to escape toward the shores of Turkey and made repeated attempts to ram the coast guard vessel during the pursuit that followed.
Coast guard officers fired warning shots at the outboard motors, immobilising the speedboat and arrested the two foreign nationals driving it.
The second incident involved an inflatable speedboat, again without navigation lights, heading toward the Prophet Zacharias area of Kos, where it let off roughly 20 foreign nationals.
A chase ensued and the craft was brought to a standstill following warning shots fired.
The two persons driving the boat jumped into the sea and were collected and arrested as suspected traffickers by the Hellenic Coast Guard.
Of those let off the two boats, six people were apprehended on shore and another 37 on board of a KTEL bus (the main intercity bus service in Greece).
Both vessels have been confiscated by Greek authorities.
