Rescue efforts ongoing after migrant boat sinks near Cyprus

Rescue operations are ongoing off the southern coast of Cyprus after a migrant boat sank the previous day. At least seven people have died in the incident, with two survivors rescued. The boat went down approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Cyprus. Officials believe it was carrying around 20 people, primarily from Syria. The Joint Rescue Coordination Center has deployed military helicopters, rescue vessels, and drones to assist in the search. A helicopter from a British base on Cyprus is also taking part in the operation. Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas expressed concern as time passes without finding more survivors. "As time passes and no other people are found, hope naturally and dramatically diminishes," he said during a press briefing. The incident occurs amid a rise in irregular border crossings in the eastern Mediterranean, according to the European Union border protection agency Frontex. Cypriot officials are closely monitoring increased maritime activity from Lebanon and Syria due to regional instability. Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis mentioned that the first survivor was spotted during a routine patrol, allowing for a quick response that saved the second person.