Group of irregular migrants arrive in Paphos (Updated)

A new group of irregular migrants arrived at Paphos port on Wednesday morning.

The group consists of 61 migrants, including 11 women, 22 men and 28 children between two and 16, reportedly Syrian and Lebanese nationals.

According to a spokesman of the Paphos police department, the boat was spotted at sea between Pissouri and Paphos. It was escorted by a police boat patrol to the port of Kato Paphos.

According to state broadcaster CyBC the migrants said they were headed from Lebanon to Italy, but the boat approached the Cyprus coast due to the bad weather.

A child in need of medical care was taken to the Paphos general hospital with its mother. After being given first aid, they were taken back to the boat. Civil defence offered them food and water while consultations were underway on whether they would be sent back to Lebanon based on the agreement Cyprus has with its neighbour to return migrants from there.

The group said there was no smuggler among them and that they had purchased the boat and were steering it themselves.