Cyprus Mail
Cyprus

Police arrest captain of boat with irregular migrants (updated)

File photo

Police on Friday arrested the captain and two passengers of a vessel with irregular migrants spotted off the coast of Cape Greco two days ago, while another 14 were picked up in Avgorou after reportedly crossing over from the north.

The first of the two boats to approach Cyprus between Wednesday and Thursday, the boat was carrying 97 irregular migrants from Syria.

According to police, two of the people aboard the boat were on the stop list and were therefore arrested along with the captain.

The remaining irregular migrants were transported to Pournara migrant reception centre on Thursday after spending a night at the Ayios Nicolaos fishing shelter.

Meanwhile, 14 Syrians – 10 men, a woman and three minors – were spotted in Avgorou on Friday morning and will be transferred to Pournara after undergoing rapid tests, police said.

The migrants are thought to have passed to the government-controlled areas through the British Bases.

As for the boat spotted off 14 miles off Cape Greco on Thursday afternoon, its 98 passengers, comprising 35 men, 23 women and 40 minors, are still aboard the vessel.

The boat will be escorted to Larnaca where it will disembark so that the migrants can be checked and tested for coronavirus before being transported to Pournara.

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

Gaza naval blockade lifted only for Cyprus, says Israeli ambassador

Iole Damaskinos

Third inquest into national guardsman Thanasis Nikolaou’s death drawing to a close

Iole Damaskinos

Cabinet to meet to discuss cost of living measures

Tom Cleaver

What’s on this weekend

Eleni Philippou

Computers seized amid illegal gambling suspicions

Staff Reporter

Teen arrested for possessing firecrackers

Staff Reporter