Cyprus picks up 21 Syrians from drifting boat

An Open Arms lifeguard gives a thumbs-up to a migrant at the other end of a rubber boat in the Mediterranean Sea, June 30, 2018. (AP)

• Police said a merchant vessel spotted the smaller boat south of Cape Greco
• A police patrol boat was dispatched to pick up the people on the drifting boat

THESSALONIKI, Greece: Cyprus authorities say 21 Syrian migrants were picked up from a boat that was drifting off the Mediterranean island's southeastern tip.
Police said a merchant vessel spotted the smaller boat south of Cape Greco on Monday morning and notified Cypriot authorities.
A police patrol boat was dispatched to pick up the people on the drifting boat and to take them to the port in Larnaca for processing.
Cyprus has appealed for the European Union's help in handling an increasing number of arriving migrants. Cypriot officials say they can barely keep up with asylum applications.