NICOSIA, Cyprus — In a series of daring rescue operations, Cyprus police have safeguarded a total of 115 Syrian migrants from three separate boats over the course of the past three days, underlining the escalating challenges of Mediterranean migration.
On Monday, a police patrol boat successfully intercepted and rescued 18 Syrian migrants when their vessel began taking on water approximately 3.5 miles off the southeastern coast of Cyprus. The group consisted of 11 men, a woman, three unaccompanied minors, and three children, all of whom had embarked on their journey from Tartus, Syria. After the migrants were safely brought ashore, the woman and her children were transported to a hospital for medical attention, as one of the children had collapsed during the ordeal. Tragically, their initial boat reportedly sank. The remaining 14 migrants were transported to a reception center situated on the western outskirts of the capital, Nicosia. Subsequently, a 23-year-old man was apprehended on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry.
The recent operation follows two separate rescue efforts conducted within the past 72 hours. Over the weekend, Cyprus police utilized two boats to rescue a total of 97 Syrian migrants who were attempting the treacherous Mediterranean crossing. In the first operation, authorities intercepted a 40-foot boat carrying 57 men, six women, and 23 children approximately 14 miles off the southeast coast. All 86 individuals who had embarked on the voyage from Lebanon were safely transported to the reception center by police patrol boats. Furthermore, four men between the ages of 18 and 30 were detained and charged with assisting in the illegal entry of migrants.
Similarly, on Saturday, police intercepted another boat approximately six miles from the southeastern tip of Cyprus, rescuing 11 migrants consisting of 10 men and an unaccompanied minor. This group had departed from Lebanon on an 11-foot boat. Police detained three men aged between 31 and 47 in connection with the incident.
The Cyprus Interior Ministry highlighted that while the number of Syrian migrants arriving via sea routes has surged in recent months, asylum applications have witnessed a significant decline due to governmental measures aimed at curtailing such migration, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa. During June and July of this year, asylum claims totaled 1,285—less than a third of the corresponding period in the previous year.
In an effort to manage the influx of migrants, the Cypriot government recently enacted a policy disqualifying migrants who arrived after January 1 of the current year from relocating to other European Union countries. This step underscores the multifaceted strategies being deployed by Cyprus to address the complex challenges presented by irregular migration.
