The Lebanese army said its navy carried out rescue operations today, Saturday, after a boat carrying about 200 people seeking emigration sank.
The army made it clear - on Twitter - that the boat was carrying people who had tried to cross Lebanese territorial waters illegally.
He added that 3 navy ships, escorted by a ship belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), arrived at the sinking site off the coast of Selaata, north of Beirut, and proceeded to rescue about 200 people.
The army did not provide further details.
3 boats from the naval forces, accompanied by a UNIFIL boat, arrived at the site of the boat that sank off the beach of Selaata, and the personnel proceeded to rescue the approximately 200 people from the aforementioned boat.#Lebanese_Army #LebaneseArmy pic.twitter.com/bGyrIJVwmC
- The Lebanese Army (@LebarmyOfficial) December 31, 2022
On the other hand, state television stated - via Twitter - that preliminary information indicates that the boat was carrying people from Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories.
It is noteworthy that, last September, the bodies of 34 migrants were found off the coast of the coastal city of Tartus in northern Syria, suspected of having left northern Lebanon heading towards Europe.