At around 22:15 on the evening of Wednesday 21 June, an unknown target was detected by Republic radar 13 nautical miles south-east of Cape Greco moving towards the coast of the Republic. Thirty minutes after midnight today, Thursday, June 22, the target entered the territorial waters of the Republic and attempts were made to identify the vessel, but without response.
Then a Coastal and Maritime Police officer approached the unknown boat and it was found that it was a wooden boat about 7 meters long, in which 37 people were on board, including 28 men, 3 women and 6 children, all from Syria. They reported that they left Tartous, Syria, paying 2 thousand dollars each.
The boat with the migrants was taken to the Ayia Napa marina and during their questioning, testimony was obtained against two persons, aged 33 and 31, that they were the boat's navigators.
The two persons were arrested in the morning by members of the TAE Famagusta for spontaneous offenses and within the day arrest warrants are expected to be secured for the offenses of illegal entry into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, assisting the illegal entry of persons from a third country into the Republic, assisting a person from a third country with intent and for profit transporting a person by water in a safe and overloaded vessel and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The rest of the migrants were transferred to the "Pournara" Temporary Accommodation Center in Kokkinotrimithia
Tomorrow the two men will be brought before the District Court of Famagusta for the issuance of their detention orders.
The case is being investigated by the Famagusta Police Department.
**FILE PHOTO