Refugee Boat Sinks Off Cyprus: At Least Seven Dead, Search for Missing Continues

A boat carrying refugees capsized off the coast of Cyprus on Monday evening, leaving at least seven people dead. There were 21 passengers on board at the time of the tragedy. Rescue teams worked through the night in search of survivors.

According to emergency services, the vessel went down about 30 miles off Cape Greco. Rescuers managed to pull two survivors from the water. One of them reported that the passengers were Syrians who had departed from the Mediterranean port city of Tartus.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) launched an extensive search and rescue operation to locate those still missing. In response to the incident, Cyprus’s Minister of Defense, Vasilis Palmas, and Minister of Justice, Marios Hartsiotis, traveled to Larnaca.

So far, the two survivors and the bodies of seven victims have been identified as Syrian nationals. The deceased were transported to the morgue at Limassol General Hospital, while the survivors were hospitalized—one in Larnaca General Hospital and the other in Famagusta General Hospital.

The boat capsized outside Cyprus’s territorial waters but within its designated search and rescue zone, an area under the Republic of Cyprus’s responsibility.

The rescue operation has involved a military vessel, two helicopters (one belonging to the police), a drone, four port police boats, as well as ambulances and law enforcement personnel.

Additionally, helicopters from the British Akrotiri base’s 84th Squadron and passing commercial ships have joined the search. So far, no additional survivors have been found, but operations will continue throughout the day. Despite intensive overnight efforts, those still missing have yet to be located.