A new vessel carrying migrants, detected by Cypriot authorities on Thursday, was escorted to the Golden Coast fishing shelter in Protaras.
The boat, carrying 25 people (15 men, two women, and eight minors, including three unaccompanied children), was the fourteenth migrant vessel to arrive in Cyprus within just five days.
Police arrested a single individual on suspicion of being the boat’s navigator.
Cyprus is experiencing a record number of migrant arrivals via maritime routes, as 786 people have come to the island on fourteen boats in the past five days.
Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou commented on the recent arrivals of Syrian refugees, highlighting the challenges faced by Cyprus due to the increased migration flows.
He emphasised the need for greater economic support from the European Union for Lebanon.
Additionally, he suggested re-evaluating Syria’s status and linking the aid provided to Lebanon with the country’s ability to intercept boats destined for Cyprus.
He stressed that Cyprus seeks practical solidarity from other EU member states rather than financial assistance.
The U.N. human rights office stated earlier this year that based on evidence it has gathered, Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war are facing gross human rights violations such as torture and abduction on their return to Syria, while women are subject to sexual harassment and violence.
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