75 migrants are rescued from a crippled boat crossing from North Africa to Europe

ATHENS, Greece -- A group of 75 migrants crossing to Europe from North Africa has been rescued from a crippled boat south of the island of Crete, Greek authorities said Friday.

The coast guard said the migrants, who are believed to have set off from eastern Libya, were picked up in the Mediterranean Sea by a merchant ship after issuing a distress call. Their nationalities were not immediately known. The vessel, escorted by a coast guard patrol boat, was taking them to a port in southern Crete.

The long voyage from Libya to Crete has emerged this year as a new route for people from Africa, the Middle East and Asia to seek a better life in Europe. People who have completed the crossing told Greek authorities they paid smuggling gangs up to 9,000 euros ($9,800) each for the passage.

More than 3,500 people have made the crossing so far this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency, out of a total of 42,000 who entered Greece illegally — mostly reaching the eastern Aegean Sea islands in small boats from Turkey.

The crossing from Libya takes at least two days, while a fast smuggling boat from Turkey can reach the eastern islands in well under an hour, provided it can dodge frequent coast guard patrols.

Italy remains the main European destination for illegal migration, with more than 51,000 arrivals so far, and is followed by Spain.

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