A cruise liner has rescued about 300 apparently Syrian refugees from a fishing boat which got into trouble off Cyprus, and taken them to Limassol.

All are said to have disembarked, although according to officials most had refused to leave the ship, demanding to be taken to Italy.

The migrants, including pregnant women and children, had reportedly spent days at sea.

The company was forced to cancel a planned cruise to Israel, complaining of serious financial losses as it put up hundreds of Russian passengers in hotels.