ITV News witnesses 114 refugees wash up in small boats at RAF base in Cyprus

Video report by ITV News Correspondent Emma Murphy

ITV News cameras have witnessed more than 100 refugees, including children, landing on the shores of a British military base in Cyprus.

ITV News correspondent Emma Murphy, who was the only TV journalist at the base, said the arrival of the 114 refugees resulted in RAF Akrotiri going into lockdown for two hours.

The refugees, who were mainly fleeing the conflict in Syria, washed ashore in two small boats on a beach at the base around 7am.

They are now being held in a hangar at the base, which is classed as UK sovereign soil.

There have been no reports of any injuries or fatalities among the arrivals.

As assessment programme has now begun to determine what should happen to the refugees.

A deal with Cyprus means the refugees are unable to claim UK asylum at the base, despite it belonging to Britain.

The Ministry of Defence said its "key priority is ensuring everybody on board is safe and well".

It said the British government has an agreement with Cyprus to ensure the Cypriot authorities "take responsibility in circumstances like this."

The military facility on the southern coast of Cyprus is used by British planes which dock in between bomb attacks on Islamic State targets in Iraq.

Video courtesy of BFBS