in-cyprus 19 March 2025
Two survivors rescued from a migrant boat disaster off Cyprus that killed seven with 11 still missing, have provided testimonies of the incident.
The two men, who were rescued after spending days in the Mediterranean Sea, told authorities they departed from the Syrian port of Tartus. They described how their boat, carrying 20 people, capsized due to rough seas and high waves.
One survivor reported grabbing a life ring and a small water bottle before falling into the sea, according to information obtained by Fileleftheros.
However, the survivors’ accounts conflict on when the vessel departed. While both stated they departed from Tartus, Syria, one claimed they left at 4 a.m. on 8 March, while the other gave a departure date of 13 March. The first survivor later changed his statement, saying they departed on 9 March.
The men described the vessel capsizing around 8 p.m. on their departure day. One survivor mentioned seeing lights in the distance hours after sinking, though he could not determine whether they came from Lebanon or occupied northern Cyprus.
Meanwhile, according to Fileleftheros, relatives of the victims waiting in Cyprus have told police that their family members departed on 14 March by boat from Lebanon. The people’s intended destination remains unclear, with one account suggesting they may have been heading toward the occupied north before planning to proceed on foot to government-controlled areas.
Meanwhile, Justice and Public Order Minister Marios Hartsiotis denied reports that the Republic of Cyprus vessels pushed back three migrant boats last Friday.
“At no point did any Coast Guard vessel come into contact with a migrant boat,” Hartsiotis told Phileleftheros.
He was referring to reports by the non-governmental organisation Alarm Phone on March 16 which said it had alerted Cypriot authorities about a vessel in distress before the shipwreck on March 17.
The organisation followed this with another post the same day stating: “The @CyprusJRCC is informed but the officers only said they ‘are investigating’ and have no information to provide. We fear a pushback is in the making! What is needed isn’t border violence but a rescue operation!”
What is a pushback
The term “pushback” refers to measures taken by states to forcibly return migrants, including asylum seekers, to the country from which they attempted to cross or have crossed an international border, without access to international protection or asylum procedures, or without any individual assessment of their protection needs.
Such actions often violate international laws, including the principle of non-refoulment, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution. Pushbacks can occur both at land and sea borders.
Cyprus accused of pushbacks
Cyprus has faced accusations of conducting pushbacks against migrants and asylum seekers. In July 2024, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that Cypriot authorities forcibly removed 25 migrants from government-controlled areas to the buffer zone, denying them access to asylum procedures. The Cypriot government denied these allegations, asserting that no such pushbacks occurred.
Additionally, in October 2024, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Cyprus violated the rights of two Syrian asylum seekers by preventing them from applying for asylum and returning them to Lebanon without processing their claims. The court found this action amounted to degrading treatment.
