The small boat, which was carrying about 60 people, sank off the coast of Tripoli, on Saturday evening, with Lebanese and Syrians on board.
The dead, the missing, and the rescued
Hamiya told “Reuters” that the body of a girl was recovered, on Saturday, and that the army recovered five more bodies on Sunday morning.
“The army rescued at least 47 people, but we do not know how many are missing because the number of the original passengers is not known,” he added.
According to the National News Agency, the five bodies were found near a small island off the coast of the northern city of Tripoli.
It had previously reported that 8 bodies had been found, but later reduced the number to 5.
The Lebanese authorities stated that they are still searching for the missing.
The army said that many of those rescued were treated on the spot, while others were taken to nearby hospitals, announcing the arrest of a person on suspicion of being a smuggler behind sending the migrants.
Accusations
Several survivors told local TV channels that the Lebanese Navy was responsible for the accident.
They added that a military ship rammed the migrant boat twice and damaged it in an attempt to force it back to the shore, according to the Associated Press.
On the other hand, the commander of the naval forces in the Lebanese army, Colonel Haitham Dannawi, blamed the captain of the migrant boat for the maneuver to avoid being forced to return to shore, blaming him for the collision with one of two navy ships.
He showed pictures of the damage to the side and stern of a Navy boat.
Dennaoui said it was a “crime” to take people on board such a boat, adding that it was built in 1974 and carried 15 times its capacity.
motive to emigrate
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared official mourning on Monday.
The economic crisis in Lebanon caused the local currency to lose more than 90 percent of its value, and prompted waves of Lebanese and Syrian refugees to try to travel to Europe on small boats.
A Lebanese citizen, Qassem al-Zuwaibi, whose relatives survived the accident, said they tried to flee Lebanon out of desperation.
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