Ship with 300 refugees stranded just off Roots bar.

[chiangbill]

There is a ship with 300 refugees stranded just off Roots bar.

[Groucho]

I could see lights on boats out to sea last night in the howling wind - couldn't have been very comfortable - I didn't think it was good fishing weather.

[waddo]

Are they coming or going?

[AJay]

'Are they coming or going?'
Neither, they are now on land in the TRNC. Look at the Roots Bar facebook for full info on what has been going on.
https://www.facebook.com/roots.bar.96?fref=nf
Second posting down from the top.
AJ

[Owl Lady]

So if you are not on Face book tough, just guess!!

[AJay]

Owl Lady
I am sure it will be in all of the papers.
The info given on Roots Bar facebook page is too lengthy and not conducive to copying and pasting here.

[Keithcaley]

...The info given on Roots Bar facebook page is too lengthy and not conducive to copying and pasting here.

Oh, I don't know... : -

Posted by 'Roots bar' 15 hours ago -

"There is a boat out at sea off the coast at Roots Bar. It has been sending up flares for the last 40mins. We have phoned the coast guard and seen 2 other boats approaching the one in distress but they have now left it again an more flares have been released. Does anyone know anything about it???"

Posted by Mark Rumbelow at 6:45 (a.m. I presume) -

"and there is an armarda of boats coming into the new harbour in kyrenia, i have videoed it and will post tomorrow sometime, everyone back safe, 5 ambulances, 5 57seat coaches and 5 transit mini busesLWB waiting for our new arrivals from Syria . The local authorities are dealing with this well, inshala"

[waddo]

Last I heard - phone call from local - was that 300 Syrian's are now in the Sports Hall (not sure which one, but the only one I know of in Kyrenia is up by the Police Station), Good to see that the local authorities are dealing with this but wonder if anyone has more information? Do they need help at all?

Strange that thread opened with statement of "300 refugees", just wonder how you knew there were that many Chiangbill?

[pgl]

Love your sense of humour Waddo - brilliant - made my Sunday morning!

[waddo]

Apart from first post of coming or going - all posts since not meant to be humour, sorry. Being a refugee from Syria and attempting a crossing of the Med at night is something I would not like to be or do. The fear that drives people to do this and the courage needed to even attempt it is beyond my normal comprehension! I would offer them anything I could to assist them in anyway possible as these are human beings we are talking about and they will all need help of some kind!

[wedinnorthcyprus]

It would appear this ship was supposed to be going to Italy and although they have got most of the people off there are a few that are refusing to leave the ship. The authorities here need a huge pat on the back for getting everything arranged so quickly to meet the needs of these poor people and i agree with Waddo, these are human beings and they must have been so desperate to leave their own country.

[pgl]

I agree with everything you say Waddo and, of course, I was referring only to your first comment.

[Owl Lady]

Some friends of mine were out with the search and rescue last night, I could be wrong but I believe they are in shelter somewhere up the other end in the Tatlisu area.

[Ragged Robin]

Could someone tell me where Roots Bar is, please? Not that I mean to go and gawp at it or anything like that, but it would be interesting to know which part of N Cyprus

[Owl Lady]

I THINK it is Tatlisu

[carrierbag]

Roots Bar is on the old coast road (used to be the old Moulos) near Tatlisu

[Owl Lady]

thanks carrierbag

[Rosehillgirl]

It appears that the refugees have left the TRNC now.

The Syrian refugees requested that they be sent back to Turkey. Akgunler put on a ferry for them this afternoon and apparently they departed (or were supposed to depart) at 2pm.

The scumbag captain and crew abandoned them and left via speedboat while they were left drifting. The boat was secured at 9pm last night by the Turkish coastguard and they were towed into Kyrenia to disembark.

They were checked out by medics then housed and fed in the sports hall.

Very sad-apparently they had paid $6000 dollars each to be taken to Italy.

[mrsgee]

Thanks for the update Rosehillgirl. Thats awful and the captain and crew should rot in hell if that is true.

[karmels]

Rosehillgirl.
Correct, but it was not a request they were all deported this afternoon.
The boat left Mersin 3 days ago and had broken down off the Karpas and had drifted to Yeni Erenkoy, boats from Turkey were looking for the ship as well as our local coast guard.

[dodger]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 5997,d.aWw

There you go peeps.