Two remanded in custody over migrant arrivals (updated)

Two people were remanded in custody by the Larnaca district court on Tuesday for assisting illegal migration into the country.

The two concern a 16-year-old and a 44-year-old man, remanded for eight and seven days respectively after their arrests, following allegations of having steered two boats bearing migrants from Lebanon to Cyprus.

The 16-year-old was arrested as the navigator of a boat carrying 73 people, all Syrian nationals, which was intercepted by the coast guard and arrived on Monday night at Larnaca port.

The 44-year-old was likewise arrested as the alleged navigator of an earlier vessel, carrying 37 irregular Syrian migrants, also spotted off the coast of Cape Greco and intercepted by the authorities earlier on Monday.

All 110 migrants were registered and transferred to Pournara reception centre in Kokkinotrimithia, where they are expected to be housed following the government’s decision to suspend all processing of asylum applications for a 21-month period.