Boats bring more than 300 Syrians to Cyprus

More than 300 refugees from Syria have landed in Cyprus in two boats.

A man said to have been at the wheel of one of the craft has been arrested.

Policespokesmanmichalis Ioannou said yesterday that the 202 men, 30 women and 73 children, who arrived at around midnight on the northwest coast, were thought to be the largest number of migrants to reach Cyprus in a single day.

Mr Ioannou said they left from Mersin, Turkey, on Saturday. The passengers reported paying £1,500 each for the trip.

Some with relatives in Cyprus want to remain there. Others said they hope to go to Germany or to Scandinavian countries.

All will be taken to a reception centre.

Turkish authorities announced that another 313 migrants were stopped over the weekend.