Two remanded after almost 500 migrants arrive (updated)

Two men suspected of people smuggling were remanded for eight days on Tuesday by the Famagusta District Court.

The two men, 41 and 23, were found on a sixth boat of migrants that arrived on Monday. The group of boats had a total of 458 migrants.

The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said the two are facing offences including entering the territory of the Republic, assisting the illegal entry of third country nationals into the Republic, assisting third country nationals with intent and with the purpose of gaining profit, transporting a person by water with an unsafe and overloaded vessel and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The two were on board a boat that was spotted on Monday afternoon, along with five others off Cape Greco, and were arrested after they were pointed out to the police by other migrants as the navigators of the boat.

The migrants were initially escorted to safety at the Ayia Napa marina where their details were registered.

The boats carried a total of 30, 24, 62, 37, 22 and 283 people, of whom 258 men, 44 women, 123 children and 33 unaccompanied minors.

According to the police the six boats set off from Lebanon and the passengers paid $3,000 each for the journey, to an unknown individual.