Athens, Mar. 12, (dpa/GNA) – The Cypriot coastguard has found 458 migrants aboard six boats that departed from Lebanon, a police spokesman told the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (RIK) on Tuesday.
There were a number of unaccompanied minors among the migrants, most of whom originated from Syria or Lebanon, and all of whom were picked up in the last 24 hours.
All 458 are being housed in a camp to the west of Nicosia.
According to European Union figures, Cyprus has over recent years recorded by far the most applications for asylum relative to population in the entire bloc.
The migrant reception centres on the eastern Mediterranean island are filled to more than capacity and are being expanded with EU funding.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), all those leaving their place of residence for whatever reason are classified as migrants, whereas refugees are those seeking protection from war or persecution. All refugees are thus migrants, but not all migrants are refugees.
GNA