A group of 75 irregular migrants arrived by boat from Syria on Monday afternoon in the Famagusta district.

The wooden boat was spotted by marine police east of Cavo Greco at 2.40pm.

It was taken to the fishing shelter in Protaras where it arrived at around 10pm.

Police recorded the details of the 51 men, 10 women and 14 children who said they set out from Tartus, a town in Syria.

Three of the children are unaccompanied minors.

They were taken by bus to the Kophinou asylum seekers reception centre where they will remain in quarantine because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Around midnight, police arrested a 39-year-old man believed to be the captain of the boat.

He appeared before Famagusta district court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody for eight days to facilitate police inquiries into a suspected case of assisting third country nationals illegal entry into the Republic with intent to profit.