The number of casualties increased The migrant boat that set off a few days ago From Lebanon towards Europe and drowned off Syria, 76 people were killed so far, according to what the Lebanese Minister of Transport, Ali Hamiyah, announced today, Friday, amid continuing efforts to search for survivors and retrieve the bodies.
The Syrian authorities began finding bodies in the sea off the coast of Tartus (northwest) on Thursday followingnoon.
So far, 20 people from the stricken boat have been rescued and taken to hospital in Syria for treatment. The Syrian authorities indicated that most of the survivors were receiving assistance with oxygen, and some were transferred to intensive care.
Ambulances at Tartous port in preparation for transporting survivors who were rescued from the sea to the hospital
According to Syrian TV, the boat was carrying at least 150 people.
Hamiya said that there were regarding 45 children on board the boat, and none of them survived, but he might not confirm the number. He added that the boat was “very small” and made of wood.
For their part, the families of the Lebanese who drowned began to receive mourners in an atmosphere of sadness and anger. People fearing that their relatives might be among the victims gathered at the border crossing with Syria, waiting for the bodies to arrive.
Yesterday, the Director General of Syrian Sea Ports, Brigadier General Samer Kobarli, quoted survivors as saying that “the boat set out from Lebanon – Miniyeh (in the north) a few days ago with the intention of emigrating” with passengers of several nationalities on board.
For his part, the Lebanese Minister of Transport, Ali Hamiyeh, indicated in a tweet that “the boat is carrying Lebanese”, but he did not specify their number.
Lebanon, with a population of 4.5 million, hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees who have fled the war that has ravaged their country for more than 10 years. In addition, tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, most of them in 12 camps.
According to the World Bank, since 2019 Lebanon has been going through one of the worst economic crises at the international level since 1850, caused by mismanagement and corruption of the ruling class that has remained virtually unchanged for decades.
In light of the deteriorating economic and living conditions, the number of migrants trying to flee by sea from Lebanon has doubled, and their destination is often the island of Cyprus, the European country located off the Lebanese coast.
Transferring a survivor to receive first aid at the port of Tartous
Last April, a boat sank Loaded with migrants off Tripoli (North) killed six of them and caused great resentment in the crisis country.
According to the United Nations, at least 38 boats carrying more than 1,500 people have either left or attempted to leave Lebanon by sea since 2020.
On September 13, the Turkish Coast Guard announced the killing of six migrants, including two children, in the Aegean Sea, while 73 others who were trying to reach Italy were rescued following they set off from Tripoli in northern Lebanon.
The Lebanese authorities repeatedly declare their frustration illegal immigration attempts Across the sea.
