A 44-year-old man was arrested on Friday afternoon to assist police investigations regarding the arrival of a total of 22 irregular migrants on a boat off Cape Greco earlier in the day.

A total of four migrant boats were spotted in the same area at around midday on Friday, according to reports.

The first was brought ashore at the Golden Coast fishing shelter in Protaras with a total of 22 people on board.

Of those 22, 15 are men, three are women, and four are unaccompanied minors. The status of the other three boats is not yet known.

A coast guard patrol escorted the boat to a temporary reception centre in Protaras.

Police officers arrived at the scene and recorded the details of the irregular migrants, while testimony emerged against a 44-year-old man who is alleged to have been the navigator of the boat and was subsequently arrested.

The man will appear before the Famagusta district court on Saturday for his remand.