A 46-year-old man is the second to be arrested on suspicion of assisting irregular migrants enter the country illegally, after a boat arrived last Friday with 17 men onboard.

The police announced on Wednesday that the latest arrest occurred at Pournara where the group had been taken, the suspect among them.

A court warrant for his arrest was issued after police received statements which implicated the man in the case.

The police had earlier arrested a 40-year-old man who was allegedly the captain of the ten-metre vessel.

Police last Friday identified the boat approaching near Cape Greco and authorities dispatched their own vessel to contact those arriving.

They were taken soon after to Paralimni harbour and later taken to the Pournara reception centre.