Nicosia: The competent services acted with professionalism and having as primary concern the protection of human lives, the Ministries of Justice and Defence and the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection said in a joint statement regarding an incident in the maritime area between Cyprus and Syria, noting that those rescued were safely transferred to the nearest port of Tartus, Syria, within the framework of the existing Search and Rescue Agreement between the two states. The incident, they note, occurred outside the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, regarding information published in the media on Monday concerning incidents in the maritime area between Cyprus and Syria, the Ministries of Justice and Defence and the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection note that on May 9 and 10, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) received information on a number of persons in inflatable boats who were in danger. The boats, they note, were in the maritime area between Cyprus and Syria, within the Search and Rescue Area (SRA) but outside the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus.
‘In both cases, the JRCC took all necessary actions, mobilising vessels and aircraft of the Port and Maritime Police, the Police and the Naval Command of the General Staff of the National Guard, which initially conducted search operations and then rescued the people on board,’ they note.
According to the statement, following consultation with the Syrian authorities ‘and always within the framework of the current Search and Rescue Agreement between the two states, the rescued people were safely transported to the nearest port, that of Tartus in Syria, where they disembarked.’
The Ministries note that this search and rescue operation was carried out by the competent services ‘with professionalism and having as primary concern the protection of human lives, hence the safe return of the boats to the nearest port’.
The Republic of Cyprus continues to always take all appropriate actions within the framework of legality, when it receives calls for help or messages regarding search and rescue incidents, they add.
‘At the same time, the Government and the competent ministries remain committed to tackling the organised crime rings operating in the region,’ they said. ‘People smuggling rings are taking advantage of the general political situation and promise people that they will supposedly find a better life if they improperly submit an asylum application and, moreover, they put their lives at risk by putting them on unseaworthy vessels,’ they note.
The Republic of Cyprus is in constant coordination with all international partners to combat these illegal practices, the joint statement concludes.