CYPRUS: Operation underway to rescue 300 Syria refugees

A rescue operation is underway by the Cyprus authorities to reach vessel with some 300 mostly Syrian refugees on board that sent out a distress signal early Thursday about 50 nautical miles southwest of the Paphos coast.

Defence Minister Christophoros Fokaides said that the Cyprus Search and Rescue (SAR) Centre sent out a patrol boat from Paphos harbour, but the choppy waters forced it to return.
A second operation was underway with the involvement of the cruise ship Salamis Filoxenia to try and reach the stranded, with many women and children on board.
Cyprus police and defence units were flying over the area to monitor the situation, the Minister said.
Cyprus has once again been burdened with collecting and hosting refugees fleeing their war-torn countries, as fellow EU member states have done little to assist the ‘refugee outpost’ nations Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain that have to deal with this problem.
On the contrary, due to the economic austerity imposed by the northern European states that are often the target destinations for economic refugees, the Mediterranean states are struggling with minimal resources and barren budgets to tackle the issue of African and Middle Eastern migrants.
News reports suggested that if all goes well and the transfer of the stranded refugees succeeds, the cruise ship is expected back at Limassol port at around 9pm.