FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Search efforts for missing persons from a capsized boat 25 nautical miles off Cape Greco continued through the night but have so far been unsuccessful, authorities reported Monday.
The operation, involving aircraft from the Hellenic Coast Guard, police units, nurses from the Coast Guard’s Ambulance Service, and passing ships, has not yet located the missing individuals, according to officials. Efforts are being coordinated by the Search and Rescue Coordination Center (SRC).
The boat was carrying over 20 individuals, all men from Syria. As of Sunday afternoon, seven bodies were recovered, and two survivors were located during the search and rescue mission. The deceased were transferred to the morgue at Limassol General Hospital, while the survivors were hospitalized—one at Larnaca General Hospital and the other at Famagusta General Hospital.
During a meeting at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Larnaca, Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas and Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis were briefed on the ongoing efforts. Palmas noted that the survivors are distressed and dehydrated, requiring medical assistance before they can provide detailed accounts of the incident.
Hartsiotis emphasized that the patrol vessel that discovered the survivors had been operating outside Cyprus’s territorial waters in international zones, highlighting increased vigilance by the Port Police in recent days.
Authorities reiterated that the JRCC’s search area includes Cyprus’s Flight Information Region (FIR), extending into parts of the territorial waters of Syria and Lebanon. Search operations remain active as officials strive to locate the missing passengers.