Cyprus police have rescued 18 Syrian migrants after their boat began taking up water some 3.5 miles off the Mediterranean island nation’s southeastern coast
NICOSIA, Cyprus — NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus police on Monday rescued 18 Syrian migrants after their boat began taking up water some 3.5 miles off the Mediterranean island nation’s southeastern coast.
Police stated the 11 males, three unescorted minors, one girl and her three kids had set sail from Tartus, Syria and have been introduced ashore aboard a police patrol vessel.
State-run Cyprus Information Company reported that the lady and her kids have been taken to the hospital after one of many children had fainted. The migrants’ boat reportedly sank.
The remaining 14 migrants have been taken to a reception heart on the western fringes of the capital, Nicosia. A 23-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of facilitating unlawful entry, police stated.
The most recent rescue comes after police rescued one other 97 Syrian migrants aboard two boats over the past 72 hours.
Police stated they intercepted on Sunday a 40-foot boat with 57 males, six ladies and 23 kids aboard some 14 miles off the island’s southeastern coast. All 86 folks, who departed from Lebanon, have been taken ashore by a police patrol vessel and transported to the reception heart.
4 males aged between 18-30 have been detained, and face costs of facilitating the unlawful entry of migrants, police stated.
On Saturday, police intercepted one other small boat with 11 migrants aboard some six miles off Cyprus’ southeastern tip. The ten males and one unescorted minor had departed from Lebanon aboard their 11-foot boat, in accordance with police. Three males aged between 31-47 have been additionally detained.
Cyprus’ Inside Ministry had famous a rise in seaborne arrivals of Syrian migrants in current months, though asylum purposes have dropped considerably on account of authorities actions to discourage such arrivals, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa.
In keeping with official figures, asylum purposes in June and July reached a mixed 1,285 this yr – lower than a 3rd than the identical interval final yr.
To discourage extra migrant arrivals, the Cypriot authorities determined to exclude migrants who arrived after Jan. 1st of this yr from eligibility for relocation to a different EU nation.
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Comply with AP’s world migration protection at https://apnews.com/hub/migration