At least 73 migrants drowned when they got on a boat in Lebanon sank off The Syrian coast, the health of Syria minister He said Friday, is the deadliest shipwreck of this kind from Lebanon in Last few years.
Lebanon that has been in turmoil since 2019 in a financial The crisis described by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern timesbecame the launch pad for Illegal immigration , with its citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees are demanding to leave the country.
About 150 people, mostly Lebanese and Syrians on board The small The boat that sank on Thursday in The Mediterranean Sea off Syrian city of Tartous.
“the number of The number of victims of the sinking of the ship reached 73 people, and the Syrian Minister of Health, Hassan Al-Ghobash, said in The statement added that 20 survivors are being treated in hospital in Tartous.
Among those rescued were five Lebanese, who were temporarily transferred to Lebanon minister Ali Hami told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“I am discussing with Syrian transport minister “A mechanism to retrieve the bodies from Syria,” Hamy said.
Tartus is located in the far south of Syria main Ports are located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away. north of North Lebanon port city of Tripoli, where the passengers boarded.
“We are dealing with one of Our biggest rescue ever.” Suleiman Khalil and official In the Syrian Ministry of Transport told AFP.
We cover a large area area that extends along the entire Syrian coast,” he added, saying “high waves.” made they work the challenge.
dangerous crossing
many of The Lebanese boat passengers come from poor areas in The state north including city of Tripoli, Lebanon’s poorest.
Tripoli emerged as a center for illegal immigration, with Most migrant boats leave from its shores.
Wissam Al-Talawi, from Tripoli who He hails from the northern Akkar region and was among the survivors and is being treated in hospital, his brother Ahmed told AFP.
But the corpses of Wissam’s two daughters, aged five and nine, were brought back to Lebanon, where they were buried early on Friday, Ahmed said.
“that they left Two days ago ” added.
“(Mine brother) can not afford his daily expenses, or cost of record him children in The school added, saying: Wissam’s wife and two sons remain Missing.
Other relatives told AFP that they had arrived at the Syrian border to check. on their relatives.
else year Lebanon witnessed spike in the number of immigrants using Its beaches to try to cross the risky in Overcrowded boats to reach Europe.
In April, drowning of Overcrowded migrant boat pursued by the Lebanese navy off North Coast of Tripoli killed dozens of people get angry in Country.
Circumstances of That incident was not entirely clear with some on board claiming that the Navy rammed their ship, while officials insisted that smugglers attempted recklessly escape maneuvers.
many of No bodies were found.
On September 13, the Turkish Coast Guard announced The death of six Including two children, they saved 73 people trying to reach europe, off the coast of Southwest Province of At the back.
They reportedly climbed from Tripoli in Lebanon in Try to get to Italy.
Most of Boat mode off From Lebanon head for Cyprus, a member of the European Union, is an island 175 kilometers (110 miles) to the west.
