Filenews 1April 2024 - by Natasha Christoforou
The three new boats with about 150 migrants arriving from Lebanon were transferred to the Ayia Napa marina.
According to the latest update, the three boats had a total of 136 people on board, 18 on the first boat, 21 on the second and 97 on the third, bringing the total number of migrants to 407 in a 24-hour period. There were 3 arrests, one 17 years old from Syria and two from Lebanon aged 22 and 36, bringing the number of those arrested to seven, after four more were arrested yesterday.
An operation was set up in the area to count them by the Famagusta Police, who are expected to transfer them later tonight to the "Pournara" Accommodation Centre in Kokkinotrimithia.
It is recalled that the three boats were spotted early Monday afternoon, raising the alarm of the Port and Maritime Police for the second time within a few hours.
Yesterday with five more boats, 271 migrants arrived with the Police proceeding to 4 arrests of Syrians who are alleged to be the pilots of the boats.
The competent authorities remain on alert, since there are reports of new flows of migrants and for this reason an emergency meeting of the National Security Council was convened tomorrow.
