The chances of finding more survivors from a capsized migrant boat off Cyprus were very slim, the country’s defence minister said Tuesday, although a major search operation was still underway days after the boat was first sighted.
Vasilis Palmas confirmed that seven bodies had been recovered and two survivors rescued, but said they were unlikely to find anyone else alive.
“Given the many hours that have passed, logic dictates that no more survivors will be found,” he said.
He said the exact number of migrants onboard hadn’t been confirmed, with reports ranging from 20-25 people.
Palmas told the Cyprus News Agency that the two survivors might be able to provide more information on the sinking.
A major search and rescue operation was launched off the island’s southeast by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in the port city of Larnaca.
On Sunday, an NGO contacted the JRCC to report the presence of a boat at sea, but a marine patrol involving a helicopter and drone found nothing until 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) on Monday, Palmas said.
He added that a person was eventually spotted in the sea “during a routine patrol by marine police and the navy in international waters”.
Some 75 minutes later, another survivor was found nearby and “unfortunately, seven more bodies were later found in the sea”.
After an overnight search found no more survivors, the centre said it was continuing its search through Tuesday.
Helicopters from a British military base on the island joined the Cypriot navy and police search, as did nearby commercial ships.
“The operation will continue throughout the day,” the JRCC said.
The boat’s point of departure remains unconfirmed, but Cyprus sits less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the Syrian and Lebanese coasts and has long been a route for refugees seeking a better life in Europe.
The Cyprus News Agency previously reported that a survivor had told authorities that the boat had set sail from the port of Tartus in Syria.
Nicosia has said it has the highest number of new asylum seeker applicants per capita in the European Union, but it has managed to reduce the figure significantly.
Last month, the interior ministry said asylum applications dropped 69 per cent between 2022 and 2024, while irregular maritime arrivals had stopped since May 2024 due to tougher government policies.
In September, Human Rights Watch accused the Cypriot government of pushing Syrian migrants back to Lebanon “without regard to their refugee status or risk of being expelled to Syria”, claims the government has denied.
Source: AFP
