Manhunt for Chinese ‘tourists’ who fled airport

POLICE yesterday launched a manhunt for the arrest of a group of 29 Chinese tourists who fled Larnaca airport in a bid to file asylum applications.

The Cyprus Mail has learned that authorities allowed the group into the country a week ago, despite knowing what their intentions were.

Sources said authorities at Larnaca airport were about to turn the group away on arrival when someone intervened and they were allowed in.

Police said the group arrived last Thursday and went to a Limassol hotel.

During their stay, they took part in various excursions organised by their tour operator.
On Monday they went on a cruise to Egypt and returned to Cyprus the next day.

At around 12.30pm yesterday the group arrived at Larnaca airport where they were scheduled to catch an Aeroflot flight back to China.

Their escort asked them to remain on the bus until she made the travel arrangements but when she returned she discovered that they were gone.

The airline confirmed that none of the 29 had boarded the flight and police immediately launched a hunt for their capture.

Until last night police managed to apprehend three while some were reportedly spotted in Larnaca.

Assistant to the chief of police Soteris Charalambous told the Cyprus News Agency that they expected the group to file asylum applications.

Apart from the 29, another 12 Chinese nationals in the same tour group have already filed applications, Charalambous said.