The investigations of the Police and the Search and Rescue Coordination Center (KSED) continue today to locate a person who, on the afternoon of Sunday, August 22, dived into the sea in the area of Paralimni, from the boat where he was riding, along with 18 other illegal immigrants from Lebanon.
According to KYPE sources from the KSED, the police investigations to locate the irregular immigrant began from the moment he dived into the sea, continued on Monday and yesterday Tuesday but without result.
The coordination of the actions for locating the immigrant is done by the KSED with the participation of aeronautical means and with small patrols.
The surveys are being conducted in the areas of Ayia Napa, Cape Greco and Protaras.
It is recalled that the illegal immigrant was riding in a boat with 18 other people, which was located by the radars of the Port and Maritime Police, in the sea area in Famagusta, on the afternoon of Sunday, August 22.
A second boat, also carrying 69 people from Lebanon, was found nearby, sailing 7 nautical miles off Cape Greco.
At one point five of the 19 dived into the sea, with members of the Port Police throwing life jackets at them.
Three people were collected, however one, according to the Police, refused to board the akato of the Police, but then it was possible to pull him out of the sea.
According to police sources, the fifth person swam away from the area. After locating his life jacket, an operation was set up by the KSED, with the participation of a police helicopter to locate him, but he was not located.
It is noted that in the framework of an agreement with Lebanon for the repatriation of migrants arriving in Cyprus, a boat was chartered on which the persons in the two boats boarded and left at noon on Monday, August 23, accompanied by the Coast Guard and Maritime Police.