Cyprus Mail 2 June 2022 - by staff reporter
A man reported missing following the arrival of 44 irregular migrants in Paphos on Thursday has been found dead, local media reported as they stated that he had gone missing at sea and subsequently drowned.
Police confirmed the reports. Helicopters and the coastguard had been dispatched to assist in the search and rescue mission.
The man was later found unconscious at 9:50am in a cove area near Lara, Paphos. A medical examiner has been sent to the scene to carry out an autopsy, and while police believe the dead man to be linked to the group of migrants, the authorities are still uncovering further details.
“Police are investigating whether this is the young migrant, aged 23, who the other migrants who arrived in the area early this morning had said was missing,” a police spokesman said.
The group of 44 irregular migrants came to shore in the Ayios Georgios, Peyia area in the Paphos district early on Thursday, the Cyprus News Agency had reported.
It quoted Paphos police spokesman Michalis Nicolaou as saying that the coastguard’s radar had detected a suspicious boat approaching the coast near Lara. A police patrol went to the area but did not find anything, it added.
The boat was then seen at 4.30 am to be leaving Cyprus’ waters. At around 5.30 am, a member of the public saw a group of people in the Ayios Georgios Peyia area, near Lara. The group was made up of 44 individuals — two women, four children and 38 men, the police officer added. Amid confusion as to the exact number of arrivals, a Paphos police spokesman said later in the day that there were 44 arrivals: two women, six children and 38 men.
Two of the irregular migrants were taken to Paphos General Hospital with breathing problems and were administered first aid.
Nicolaou said police were investigating a case of trafficking of irregular migrants. He said authorities were now taking down their details. They are being questioned to determine whether there is a trafficker among them and whether any of them participated in the trafficking, he added. They will then be taken to the Pournara temporary reception centre at Kokkinotrimithia.
