Greek authorities have transported more than 500 migrants to a port on the mainland in an effort to relieve strain on the island of Crete after a surge in arrivals from Libya.

Greece on Friday enforced a three-month freeze on asylum claims from migrants arriving by boat from North Africa, to stem a surge from Libya that the government has called an "invasion".Plevris -- formerly a member of the far-right LAOS party and now part of Mitsotakis's New Democracy party -- has called the recent influx an "invasion from North Africa".

More than 500 migrants arrived at the port of Lavrio near Athens on Thursday after being intercepted south of the island of Crete, after a surge of arrivals from Libya. This is a photo gallery