Dozens of migrants arrive in boat from Syria

Dozens of Syrian migrants arrived in the Famagusta area overnight on Thursday, police said following an operation to tow their boat safely to shore.

According to police, a total of 37 arrived, 28 men, three women, and six children, who took a wooden boat from Tartus, Syria after paying $2,500.

Famagusta police spokesman Steve Theodoulou said that around 10:15pm on Wednesday evening an unknown vessel was detected by the radars of the Republic, 13 nautical miles southeast of Cape Greco moving towards the coasts of the Republic.

“Thirty minutes after midnight today, Thursday, June 22, the target entered the territorial waters of the Republic and attempts were made to identify the vessel, but without response,” he said.

Port police approached the unknown vessel and it was found that it was a wooden boat about seven metres long, in which 37 Syrians were on board.

“The migrants reported that they left Tartus, Syria, paying 2,500 dollars each,” he said.

He added that the boat with the migrants was safely transferred around 3:30am to the Ayia Napa marina. They were interrogated, and testimony was obtained against two persons, aged 33 and 31, who were the boat’s navigators.

The two suspects were arrested in the morning for entering Cyprus illegally and aiding others to do so.

The rest of the migrants were taken to Pournara reception centre for processing.

The two men are expected to appear in court on Friday, for a remand.

Famagusta police are continuing their investigations.