Published : 19-05-2021
A boat with 56 migrants on board was spotted off the coast of Cyprus on Sunday. The Cypriot authorities checked the documents of people on board at sea and then asked the group to return to Lebanon from where they had set off.
The boat, reportedly carrying 56 migrants (39 men, seven women and ten children), was spotted about 16 nautical miles south of Cyprus' Cape Greco on Sunday, May 16.
According to the Cyprus Mail, the Cypriot authorities sent two coast guard vessels to the area. One of the boats had nurses and translators on board. The coast guard coordinated their operation with the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.
Officers from the coast guard checked the documents of the migrants on board the boat, who told them they had set sail from the town of Tripoli in northern Lebanon.
The Cyprus Mail reported that the boat had initially tried to head for the Cypriot port of Protaras but was "denied entry to the Republic" and was told to turn back to Lebanon.
The German news agency dpa, quoting Cypriot state broadcaster RIK, said that the return was the third case of Cyprus telling migrants to return to Lebanon in the last eight months. Two weeks agao, on May 4, the Lebanese authorities reported that they had stopped 51 Syrians from crossing to Lebanon.
The nationality of those on board has not yet been made clear, reported dpa. Cyprus’ Interior Minister Nikos Nouris stated once again, according to dpa, that Lebanon is a safe third country, and, as such, migrants can be returned there without problem.
A boat with 56 migrants on board was spotted off the coast of Cyprus on Sunday. The Cypriot authorities checked the documents of people on board at sea and then asked the group to return to Lebanon from where they had set off.
The boat, reportedly carrying 56 migrants (39 men, seven women and ten children), was spotted about 16 nautical miles south of Cyprus' Cape Greco on Sunday, May 16.
According to the Cyprus Mail, the Cypriot authorities sent two coast guard vessels to the area. One of the boats had nurses and translators on board. The coast guard coordinated their operation with the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.
Officers from the coast guard checked the documents of the migrants on board the boat, who told them they had set sail from the town of Tripoli in northern Lebanon.
The Cyprus Mail reported that the boat had initially tried to head for the Cypriot port of Protaras but was "denied entry to the Republic" and was told to turn back to Lebanon.
The German news agency dpa, quoting Cypriot state broadcaster RIK, said that the return was the third case of Cyprus telling migrants to return to Lebanon in the last eight months. Two weeks agao, on May 4, the Lebanese authorities reported that they had stopped 51 Syrians from crossing to Lebanon.
The nationality of those on board has not yet been made clear, reported dpa. Cyprus’ Interior Minister Nikos Nouris stated once again, according to dpa, that Lebanon is a safe third country, and, as such, migrants can be returned there without problem.
