Late Monday night, Cypriot authorities confirmed the recovery of seven bodies after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Cyprus. A large search and rescue mission followed, with fears that more people are still missing.
According to the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Larnaca, the operation continued throughout the night but found no new survivors or victims. Helicopters, boats, drones, and personnel from Cyprus’ National Guard, Port Police, and ambulance services were involved in the search. Commercial ships passing through the area also assisted.
The JRCC stated that the incident happened within Cyprus’ search and rescue zone but outside its territorial waters. Authorities plan to continue investigations and search operations.
On Tuesday, officials confirmed that two survivors had been found and that seven bodies were recovered. The boat reportedly capsized about 30 nautical miles southeast of Cyprus on Monday. Reuters reported that the vessel was first spotted around midday and was believed to have departed from Tartous, Syria, carrying approximately 20 or 21 migrants. Cyprus’ public broadcaster CyBC noted that the ship might have sunk four days before its discovery, with all passengers on board. However, the exact circumstances remain unclear.
Cyprus Justice Minister Marios Hartziotis stated that authorities were on high alert, and the discovery of the first survivor happened by chance. The organization Alarmphone, which monitors migrant crossings to Europe, said that family members of those onboard had contacted them on Saturday, reporting that the boat was already in distress. The group shared the boat’s last known location on social media and urged Cypriot authorities to take action. Alarmphone later expressed concerns that a pushback might have occurred.
Cyprus lies about 100 nautical miles from the Lebanese and Syrian coasts at its closest points. Last week, around 80 migrants arrived in Cyprus on three boats, according to Alarmphone. The organization claimed that these individuals were taken to a camp in Cyprus but later faced the risk of deportation to Lebanon. Reports also suggested that some had been forced back to Syria, where recent violent escalations had occurred. Alarmphone warned that Syria remains unsafe and urged Cypriot authorities to stop deportations.
Last year, Cyprus suspended asylum applications from Syrians, citing a rise in voluntary returns following the departure of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who went into exile in Russia in December 2024. Authorities reported that an average of 40 Syrians per day were returning home.
In February, the Cypriot government stated that irregular maritime arrivals had significantly decreased since May 2024 due to stricter immigration policies. The Cyprus Interior Ministry reported a 69% drop in asylum applications between 2022 and 2024. However, the UN’s Missing Migrants Project recorded 175 migrant deaths on the eastern Mediterranean route last year, with the actual number likely higher. Since January, at least 16 migrants have been reported missing on this route, and with this latest tragedy, that number could more than double.