Remand after migrants caught off Cape Greco

The district court of Famagusta on Friday issued an eight-day remand order against a 34-year-old man arrested for transporting 15 irregular migrants by boat to the island.

Among other things, the man is being charged with illegal migration and assisting illegal entry of third country nationals into the Republic with intent to profit, as well as transporting persons in an unsafe and overloaded vessel.

According to police spokesman Steve Theodoulou, shortly after 3pm on Thursday the boat was detected by coast guard radars at a distance of 15 nautical miles southeast of the Ayia Napa marina.

The coast guard intercepted the 7m boat and found 13 males, including two unaccompanied minors, a woman and her child on board.

When interrogated, passengers told authorities they had set off around 11pm on Tuesday from the Tartous region of Syria and had purchased the boat collectively, paying about €2,500 each.

The spokesman said the passengers and their boat were towed to the Golden Coast fishing shelter in Paralimni.

Meanwhile, testimony emerged pointing to a 34-year-old man onboard as the boat’s navigator. He was arrested while the others were transferred to the Pournara migrant reception centre.