The bodies of seven individuals were found off Cyprus on Monday, following a search and rescue operation due to a migrant boat capsizing, as reported by Cyprus's state broadcaster on March 17.
Several individuals were reported missing, while two survivors were rescued from international waters approximately 30 nautical miles (55.5 km) southeast of the island.
Initial reports indicated that the vessel, discovered around midday on Monday, likely departed from Tartous, Syria, with an estimated 20 or 21 people on board.
Cyprus's search and rescue coordination center confirmed the presence of assets in the area, coordinating the rescue mission, though no mention was made of casualties.
Justice Minister Marios Hartziotis characterized the discovery of the first survivor as coincidental, highlighting heightened vigilance from port police.
On March 16, Alarmphone, an advocacy group, received distress calls from relatives providing coordinates of a boat in trouble, which later matched the location of the shipwreck. They shared this information with Cypriot authorities for investigation.
As an EU member state located about 100 nautical miles west of Lebanon and Syria, Cyprus temporarily halted processing asylum requests from Syrians last year due to an increase in unauthorized sea crossings.