Thirty-six migrants returned to Lebanon

The police announced the return of a total of 36 migrants who had arrived in Cyprus from Lebanon on Thursday.

They had arrived in two groups, the first of which had been found on the coastal road between Protaras and Ayia Napa shortly before 3am on Wednesday.

The group consisted of 20 people, of whom one was a child.

A second group were detected on a boat off the coast of Cape Greco at around 8am on Wednesday.

Aboard the boat were 16 people who were all initially taken to the Golden coast fishing centre in Paralimni.

Investigations carried out the police uncovered that all 36 people had arrived from Lebanon.

Under the auspices of a repatriation agreement between the Cypriot and Lebanese governments, all 36 people boarded two police boats at dawn on Thursday and were returned to Lebanon.