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Some 76 people have died in one of the worst refugee shipwrecks on the Syrian coast, with about 150 people on the boat. So far they have rescued alive about 20 who are treated in Syria. Since 2020, the number of people leaving by sea in search of asylum in Europe has risen exponentially.
A shipwreck off the Syrian coast killed at least 76 people while traveling on a boat from Lebanon, according to Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamie, search operations continue.
Economic desperation has led Lebanese and refugees in this country to want to flee in old and crowded boats with the idea of reaching Europe. To date, this is the sinking with the most victims from Lebanon.
The corpses began to arrive on the shores of Tartus from this Thursday. Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hamiye said the boat, which left the Minyeh region, was carrying about 120 to 150 people, including 45 children.
Hamiye reported that the 20 survivors they have found so far are being treated in Syrian hospitals. Many of those found are Syrians who were refugees in Lebanon.
Dozens of those traveling on the sinister ship came from the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, as confirmed by one of the residents of this place, Mahmoud Abu Heid. The economic crisis in Lebanon, which has been going on for about three years, worsened the conditions in this place.
In the country, poverty rates have skyrocketed, more than three quarters of the population, of the more than 6.5 million inhabitants, are in poverty. Thousands have lost their jobs and the Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its value, so families have lost purchasing power.
Hamiye said the boat was “very small” and made of wood, describing such sailings as almost everyday and given to travelers by people who don’t care about safety.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that “many of the Syrians who died at sea sold all their properties in Syria with the dream of reaching Europe, as they were badly affected by the crisis in Lebanon.”
Relatives living in Tripoli of Mustafa Misto, one of the victims who was traveling with his wife and children, received condolences in the Bal Al-Ramel neighborhood, while one of them shouted that “we have no one but God.”
Those who believed that one of their relatives might be among the victims went to the Syrian border to await the bodies.
More castaways trying to reach Europe
Between Monday and Tuesday, two boats with refugees coming from Lebanon launched a distress alert, Cyprus responded and sent rescue teams. In one of the boats there were about 300 people and in the other 177. All were rescued, as reported by the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center.
Between 2020 and 2021, the number of people who have managed or tried to leave Lebanon by sea doubled, as reported by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Compared to 2021, in 2022 the number has increased by 70%.
In April, a boat carrying 80 people seeking asylum in Europe was intercepted by the Lebanese navy, causing it to sink. About 40 people were rescued.
On Thursday, Lebanese authorities said they had rescued a boat carrying 55 refugees.
With Reuters, AP and EFE
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