Four people have been arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assisting 14 third-country nationals to enter the Republic of Cyprus from Cape Greco in the early morning hours.

Police said the arrests took place as part of the investigation into the arrival of the vessel with 14 irregular migrants which was found six nautical miles off Cape Greco early on Wednesday.

Port and marine police accompanied the boat to the Paralimni fishing shelter where they obtained testimony against four persons alleged to be the traffickers.

Officers arrested the four, aged 23, 20, 24 and 23, while the remaining people were transferred to the Pournara reception centre for asylum seekers.